Unwritten Secret
by Aspendragon
Summary: Chenry is an albino, but doesn't become aware of her keyblade until her nobody discovers it. Of course, SHE does so under the influence of Axel's evil little eye! AxelXOC
1. Truth is Scarcely Gratifying

**..::Introduction::..**

**..::Truth is Scarcely Gratifying::..**

"You're making this awfully hard on yourself, to just simply kill you wouldn't suffice – no, not at the least." The cloaked man stood well over seven feet, his face shadowed by his swishing violet cloak's hood, the creases shining brilliantly in the moonlight. He held his five-foot blade millimeters from the girl's throat; it hovered like the blade was hungry and savoring the moment of dominance.

"You're one cheap hunk of a bastard you know that right?" the girl retorted viciously, her gut telling her not to do anything but her pride was bruised heavily, it wanted to retaliate.

The man chuckled.

"You were always crawling under my skin and making it itch, what I wouldn't give to just _eliminate_ that itch." The man spoke, his lips curling in a sneer. The girl with fiery crimson orbs and shock-bright white hair pulled back in a spiky ponytail and split bangs snarled. Her skin had a peach hue to it, but still pretty pale.

She was an _albino._

"Then just kill me, I have nothing else to-" Than as if a hand grasped her vocal cords and froze them together in a silent spell, she could no longer speak the rest of the sentence.

"So…you _do_ hold _Eleven's Secret_." The man spoke; almost amused by her frantic antics as she grasped her throat. "You cannot _speak_ the _Secret_ you pathetic little girl. Your master knew, his master knew, you certainly should know that." The man spoke with slimy excitement, like a little boy about ready to receive his first pet, except this pet may be a man-eating tiger or savage dragon.

"Don't speak of Master Eleven like he was your inferior!" The girl jeered, her confidence ebbing away and her frame shook, here she was on the cold pavement, beneath the armed man as if waiting for punishment.

Around her streetlights glared down at the scene in monotone colors, all neatly in a row except for one that appeared like a car ran over atop it, making it completely hit the ground.

"Oh…we treated him like nothing else." The man recalled memories of endless hours torturing the helpless victim, alias Angell Eleven until he finally said he could not speak of it for the life of him even if he wanted to.

"_It cannot be spoken by the soul that holds it!" _

But that didn't stop the soul from _using_ it. This man however old he was in his late centuries had never witnessed the _Secret_ ever _used_. This man wanted to witness this _Secret's_ miracles the legends spoke so fondly of and sometimes those that spoke so…_dead_.

"So **you** were in charge of his execution?" The girl's eyes held no sign of bursting into tears, she sat there, clinging to life as they knew it with a fiery passion that couldn't be drenched out. Unless…

"You know, it took me a while but I figured something out." The man crooned softly as he withdrew his weapon and crouched down to the girl's eye level.

"Eleven didn't pass on till four hours ago, when we received word of your escape. That tells me something, it had been months since we started our _campaign_ and his heart hadn't stopped beating once. It seems…the holders of the _Secret_ cannot pass on till the _Secret's_ holder _passes on the Secret_ to another soul. How did dear Eleven give you the _Secret_ hm? Telepathically? Did he _tell _you? No, that can't be possible…" the man seemed to be going nowhere till he was given every answer to every one of his questions.

The girl glared deep into the man's eyes, her gaze unwavering.

"It doesn't matter 'cuz I'll never give it to anyone else so there!" she spat into the man's face, with a gross expression the man wiped his face clean than brought his hand back. Only a second later to make impact with the girl's right side of her face and plummet her body into a nearby wall.

The bricks tumbled down on her scrawny structure, dust gathered in clouds and settled down on her motionless form.

"Damn brat." The man growled as he wiped the remnants of her saliva from his nose.

"I thought I heard a crash, oh dear, this will not do. Here I am sent to do a simple job and YOU make it all the more difficult. I give you my thanks," a sarcastic voice greeted from behind him. The man gave a start but turned around swiftly to catch sight of a black portal swallowed by thin air.

A boy looking no older than nineteen or so stood stiffly, giving a yawn and scratching his head. His scalp was enveloped by blood-red spikes and skin pale with brilliant emerald eyes. An upside-down triangular crest beneath each eye, it reminded the man of some sort of clown…

What got him slightly shaken was the black cloak the boy was wearing, so stiff looking but swayed easily along with every move made by the redhead.

_Organization XIII? What the hell are they doing here? _"What do you want?" The man asked curtly, crossing his arms.

"Chill man, chill. Oooo…ow, that had to hurt. Now it'll take her ages to wake up, I believe I already thanked you." The boy drawled out, he blinked his eyes repeatedly. "Saїx owes me one for this…"

"You're from the Order aren't you? Tell me what business you have here?" The man growled out, the boy looked from the decrepit wall to the cloaked man.

"Like it's any of MY business to tell YOU. Yeah, I'm from the Order. There are only so many people out there that can open and close portals, wear dark cloaks and call out these guys." The boy snapped his fingers and out of nowhere Dusks swerved out of the alley way's crooks and nannies and surrounded the man, doing their strange walk around him.

"You're Nobodies! Why would you want to come here? Byozone City? What do you want with the girl? She's mine!"

"Tsk tsk tsk, you made that sound so wrong." The boy said, losing his sleep finally. "I'm just here for business I already made obvious I couldn't tell you, came from the top y'know. Can't go around and announce because then, it wouldn't really be called a 'secret mission' then."

With graceful strides the boy strolled around the common nobodies and towards the crumbled wall.

"Man, at least she can't die…phew, here I was worried. Old man Eleven passed on the _Secret_ then? Well, at least I can act like I cared." The boy whistled at the damaged body of the young girl not too far in from the broken wall.

"I think it may harm her more to move her-"

"Don't get so comfy around me yet you punk." He glanced back at the girl, who was now struggling to sit up properly. Her knees locked together in an attempted to put support on her wounded ankles. Her elbows pointing inwards.

One eye was shut to avoid the flow of blood coming down from the roots of her hair, more dripped behind her, her hairpiece had shot out from the pressure and now her pure white hair was stained by life's red. Her visible crimson orb radiated of passionate hatred as it settled on the violet-cloaked man.

"_Quen La Mov!_ You're nothin' but a friggin' coward!" She yelled, wincing greatly from her own volume. The man called Quen La Mov smirked.

"Your words are powerless, if it were not for the _Secret_. You would've died." Mov snickered darkly as he raised his weapon again.

"Withdraw these monsters and I will consider trading the girl."

"_I AM NO DAMN TRINKET!!!_" The girl roared, wincing again, she clutched her head with one hand, the other finding difficulty regaining proper balance. The boy whistled low again.

"She has one heck of a tongue, I already like her. What're your stakes?" The boy asked, snapping his fingers again and the Dusks silently whisked away. Mov gave a low chuckle.

"I will hand the girl over to you and the Order ONLY if you investigate the _Secret_ she knows and inform me the instant you discover it. And also…"

"C'mon old man! I got places to burn, people to send to Hell, missions to kill! I wanna go back to bed!" The boy whined, running a hand through his hair with an irritated expression. Slowly the girl began inching away. She could get away a lot quieter this way than attempting to stand up and try to run for it.

"If the Organization will clean out the royal family here, excluding me, and ANYONE that gets in their way." Mov finished, the boy looked up thoughtfully, placing a hand at his chin.

Sweating now, the girl managed to crawl out of the debris and scrambled across the building's floor. She needed to hide…she needed to hide…she needed to hide…

_Lord Aquarel and Lady Ren will be murdered if I don't do something…it was Master Angell Eleven's job to protect them! I have to take his place! God damn my head! _The girl nearly passed out from a wave of dizziness that flooded her brain capacity.

_I need to at least warn someone! Where the hell is everybody!? _The girl had managed herself through the offices, there was no one. Well, it was midnight but there was usually that work-aholic somewhere…

It was then that everything had a sense of stillness to it, more than before. She cursed loudly when a voice penetrated her head.

"Hold it girl! You're pretty banged up." Not that it helped her at all when she was swept off the ground and hurt body parts were touched.

"_Dieu damnent tu!_" She hissed as she flailed, one hand holding her bleeding head and the other was soon caught in a tight grip around her wrist. Her one available eye met emerald.

_It's the stupid Order guy from before…_ "What do you want? 'Cuz currently I'm in no condition for wise cracks and I could care less if you're having a bad hair day now _put me down!_" The girl attempted to break the redhead's grasp on her arm, but he obviously was (by a margin she figured) stronger and kept his hold on her.

"Calm down, you'll be no use to us if you have on-going pass outs." She growled and cursed in a language he was not known to. He raised a brow. "I don't believe you lived here in this dump you're whole life."

"Go figure! I wasn't _born here_ numskull I'm foreign and before I go on rambling and telling you everything about my life put me down!" She changed her mind when she looked down, it seemed he had to be around six feet and she didn't think she could land this one pretty if he took her literally.

"Uh – no. You can't walk for your life let alone run." It was then at the true essence of his words did she feel jolts of pain racking her body, she must've been too surprised and shocked and scared to feel much of her own pain while she was trying to get away.

She stifled a groan by biting her lip; she probably bit too hard, hence why her lip began to bleed.

"Man, you take even the smallest spill you'll fall apart. Good thing I got here in time even if it meant getting up six hours earlier than usual. Still, why couldn't Zexion come up and get you…? Too much of an emo I suppose…always gets to relax…damn him…" the redhead then stopped and looked to his right.

"We seriously need to consider a strategy. I know!" The girl knew he was being sarcastic, his tone _dripped_ of sarcasm as a black portal emitted from the air beside the red head, the desks and chairs surrounding them didn't seem to be affected.

"There's no way in hell I'm going in that – hey! You deaf? Lemme go!" The boy didn't seem keen to listening to her protests as he entered the dark passageway.

Everything went pitch-black…

_It has been foreseen by the Secret's eye;_

_By which the sky melts and seeks out the Spy._

_Do not by thou release what may the Ally imply;_

_Sleep with fear and be scared my little magpie._

_--- _

_The worlds are a glistening and nightmares abound;_

_On that day you greet on stone-ground._

_See there a craven hellhound;_

_In which a concealed alarm is found._

_--- _

_No witch, wizard or any other magical creature can conjure;_

_Be that of a true heart of purity, guidance and strength's battler._

_Find your family and may you conspire;_

_Free us all, your goals couldn't get higher._

I wasn't entirely sure when I woke up, since everything was so god-forsaken white; too bright. My eyes, I think they opened and I immediately shut them. Can someone turn off the sun? I wish it was the sun, it would've proved everything that happened was all a nightmare, a silly dream that had rendered me petrified.

Ow…my arm hurts…everything hurts. Pain shot at my bones as I tried to move my arm to pinch myself, but the pain was enough. I was alive, and what happened before wasn't a figment of my imagination.

I was wherever that freak took me, and something told me I was alone…for the moment.

Slowly I managed to see the room better than before without it burning my eyeballs. It was white; bleach-white. Clean too. Everything about me was the opposite, except my hair. I felt that I was on a mattress, it was pretty soft I suppose; bouncy yes. And of course, it too was white. Then I noticed I was no different.

My arms were in slings, they were probably both broken, I figured that's why they hurt so much, I was crawling before on wounded arms before, I couldn't feel them…that was very bad. But now I did, and they were biting at me for moving so much on them.

I felt bandages around the most of me; my clothes were changed too…

Damn, perverted bastard. He'll get what's coming to him…but now, I fully realize, I would be at anyone's mercy right now, I'm lying here, with no weapons and broken head to toe.

I couldn't move for the life of me. The redheaded freak must be happy; he certainly sounded like he was before, because I didn't die. Of course I couldn't die now, my stupid, dumb mentor was dead…yeah, dead…

Master Angell Eleven was dead.

"_Maitre Eleven tu es mort…_" Her mind fuzzed over, the life she knew before was long gone, she couldn't return to it and her options were limited…and what about her king and queen? What has become of them and their son and daughter, Prince Phirel and Celeste?

"_**If the Organization will clean out the royal family here, excluding me, and ANYONE that gets in their way."**_

_Quen La Mov! He made a deal with this Order!_ Lord Aquarel, Lady Ren, Prince Phirel and Celeste. Were they dead? Like their top advisor, Angell Eleven? Were they still alive and possibly imprisoned? Were they starving? Dying? Being poisoned? If the top advisor died, his/her successor was suppose to take over for them.

But Eleven's successor was millions of miles away in Castle Oblivion

_They're dead…ils…sont mort…peinė…_ I couldn't help when my eyes became startling wet and my cheeks became cold with tears, their trails staining my face. I closed my eyes, I must be Heaven…I died and gone to Heaven. Just that no one came to welcome me…I'm alone…even in Heaven.

_Master Eleven…I'm _cold. _I'm hungry. And **alone.** _


	2. Second Impression

**..::Part I::..**

**..::Second Impression::..**

"I don't like the looks of this Friar Tuck." The red fox clothed in green had voiced his concerns over and over before this, but Friar Tuck was persistent.

"Such dark creatures cannot enter the house of our lord Robin." Friar Tuck gave a hearty smile as he walked off towards the organ, where Saxton sat, currently trying to calm Little Sister.

The red fox, Robin Hood gave a subtle sigh. Like most of the time, things were left to him to handle. He looked around, his hat in one hand. Everyone in the town had been stuffed inside this tiny church, as it was their last resort now.

Days ago the town of Nottingham, dark creatures with small, beady glowing eyes ran around the town and all at once swarmed in. Robin Hood and Little John just so happened to be in town that day and sadly, didn't get everyone to safety outside of the town and into the tiny church owned by Friar Tuck.

All that remained was a good handful of them, Skippy's family, Oddo, Toby, Allan-a-Dale, Little John and Robin Hood himself.

_Maid Marian…_ he thought angrily, gritting his teeth. Prince John was holding them up in his castle along with Lady Kluck. Robin wasn't thrilled about the fact that of all the people he could've saved; he couldn't save her…

_Stop thinking so negatively…she's not dead – yet._ That struck a cord and Robin stifled a rare snarl. A large hand settled on his left shoulder and Robin nearly jumped out of his skin. He looked up at the hand's owner.

"Oh…Little John." Robin stated, trying to sound cheerful. Little John frowned.

"I know what you're thinking Rob, and don't a go and blame yourself. She'll be fine." Little John comforted, giving Robin a pat on the back.

"I hope you're right." Robin added, his ears starting to droop.

"We can't have you all gloomy Robin, you're everyone's hope here." Little John said, Robin's ears perked back up with motivation. That was right, these people hardly had a scrap of food on them before, they always received money from Robin whom stole it for their well being. But now it was taken as they fled, now he had to provide them with everything he could get.

"Don't worry, I'll be fine. These people come first, then I'll see to it an escape plan for Maid Marian and Lady Kluck." Robin stated.

"That's the Robin I know," Little John said happily before walking off towards Friar Tuck.

Robin looked off uncertainly when no one was watching. Those dark creatures were bad news, and he hated feeling helpless against creatures he couldn't fight.

* * *

When she awoke again, she felt just as sore, if not more. Everything was aching, every bone was pounding and her brain was going all out on her. Either her Nervous system was screwed up or she was healing. In the most painful possible way. 

_My bones are probably using actual needles to sew themselves back together! _She made to move her arm before a pain spiraled up it, she dropped it back into its sling.

_Shoot, forgot that…_ she was tired of lying down, she wanted to move. She was stiff after all.

_How long have I been here? _

Nothing replied to her unspoken question. Everything was still. **Everything was **_white_. It was so unnerving, just to sit in that white, clean room. To her it felt like she was confined in the loony bin. Her slings were her straight jacket and her mind was in turmoil.

_I have nothing more to live for except to keep my master's Secret._ She realized, she could never join the people she had lost until she passed on the Secret. But she just couldn't give it to someone; she just couldn't **give it up.** She needed to hold onto it and somehow get back to Byozone City.

**That was where she **_belonged._

"Ah, you're awake." It was _his_ voice – again. She closed her eyes quickly, trying to stop the flow of adrenaline that automatically pumped into her veins from the tone.

_He _spoke so** playfully**; _like nothing was wrong._

"I saw your eyes open, don't try and fake sleeping." She growled as she refused to open her eyes despite his encouragement.

"I _know._" She forced out; not everyone wanted to talk with his or her kidnapper…

"And I'm not faking anything." She added, if only she could move she could bury herself in the covers or better yet, attack the man.

"You're probably wondering where the hell you are right?" the man spoke.

"_And who the hell you are._" She snapped bluntly. The man seemed taken back by his next reply.

"Ooh. Snappy, you don't take to people do you? There's no worries then, since we're just not _people._"

"Really? What are you then a cockroach?" _That way I can squash you. _She retorted, cracking an eye open, red meeting green. He was _staring _at her.

And she _glared_ back. He **smirked** and cocked his head slightly, giving her an odd mix of emotions she did not dare show.

_Well, that's sort of – keep it together! This guy **kidnapped** you for hell knows what. _She thought as she narrowed her glare, he chuckled lightly.

"You need to calm down, otherwise you won't get help getting better." He said as he stepped towards her, it was then did she notice his arms weren't moving, well, they were _hardly_ moving.

What she wouldn't do just about now to have an escape pod of some sort and whisk her off to –

"And before you say you _don't need help_." Because apparently she did, and he was well aware of it. Or so his bright green eyes were saying, they were taunting her as he moved closer, he was towering over her when he stopped. A good inch or so from the bed. "You're going to need help eating and keeping your energy up."

With that he held up a plate piled with food and a fork and spoon in the other, both twirling without trouble in one hand with five, long and thin fingers. The girl wished for that escape pod (lord forbid if it DID turn up) and wished just for it to whisk off to hell.

_Oh, how generous. Are you by chance meaning to feed me? May charity have good fortune bestowed upon you…_ the girl thought menacingly as she narrowed her eyes on her captor, what a perfect situation she was in. All tied up in means of broken bones with what? A six foot man over her with a plate of food, she hoped it would be poison…but then again – she remembered – she couldn't die.

She didn't do pain either, she always ended up in a ball tearing…Master Eleven was hard, but compassionate…

* * *

"_Hm?" The shadowy figure lay with feet crossed and a book in his hands and a green lamp giving off light at his right. The chair he was resting on elevated his feet and rested his head after a long day of training with his apprentice._

"…_Master? I can't sleep…I hurt." The tiny albino girl whimpered, not making eye contact and seemed to have found her toes suddenly interesting. _

"_Well, that tells me you put everything you had out there." The man said, revealing no emotion whatsoever. The girl nodded briefly. The man then smiled warmly, eyes warm and understanding. "Come over here, you can rest on my lap then."_

_She would've jumped with joy if it hadn't been for her aching calves, but she wandered over to her master and crawling on his lap and buried her face into the comfort of his soft robe. Taking in the cinnamon scent with a hint of dark coffee teasing her nostrils. He wrapped an arm around her and pressed her tighter to him, adding warmth and comfort to her troubled body._

"_What're you reading Master?" she asked quietly, her eyelids drooping as her breaths deepened. Calmly Angell Eleven readjusted his wrist and snapped open his book he had been reading before his student bounded in on him._

"_It's called-" _

_She fell asleep before hearing the answer to her own question._

* * *

"Can you sit up on your own or do I have to help?" The man with red spikes groaned, the girl must've dozed off since he sounded annoyed. 

_Let him stand there, maybe he'll ramble on about something useful…_ she thought, closing her eyes with her own aggravation, she was still a bit drowsy from the incident that put her in this mess.

"C'mon! I know you can speak, c'mon girl!" He was obviously teasing her.

"I'm _no dog._" She replied tartly.

"There we go, we have something confirmed, you are IN FACT not part of the canine family." The man said with amusement, she stifled a growl. Showing signs of annoyance would probably press the man to _amuse himself_ further.

"Well, you could be part of the weasel family. If you squint your eyes a little when they're looking at you head-on you could very well remind them of an…erm…what's the word again for something white with red eyes?" he asked, his circus tricks with the spoon and fork paused.

"An _albino._" She stated promptly.

"Oh, that's right! You're an albino weasel! That's what we can call you!" he shouted, practically happily. The twirling resuming.

"Flattered." Then her eyes snapped open and she attempted to jerk her head to face him but winced greatly from the movement. "_We?!_" The man looked at her with one brow raised and the other lowered.

"Oh, yeah, I'm part of the Organization that homes here. They're currently thirteen of us! Hence, Organization XIII!" The man said, not really as happy as he was before, actually a bit more…rebellious. That's what he sounded like.

_Someone_**who** didn't **want** to be _here._

"So, let's move on. You're. Going. To. Eat. No daydreaming is getting you out of this. Well, unless you just want to sit here and starve but we can't let that happen or the _Superior_ goes on about." The man stated, looking up and about like this _Superior_ was anything but _superior._

Not that starving was much of a deal to her anyway, she would suffer but she wouldn't – wait a minute, did this Organization not know that she couldn't die? Probably not seeing as this idiot had as much of a clue about the Secret as much as a dormouse with a lit tail.

They seemed to need her so they wouldn't starve her and not think that she couldn't die unless she told them – or Mov could tell them, but he liked keeping things to himself. She wouldn't have to deal with pain as much as she thought she would!

Things seemed to be falling back into place here!

Meanwhile, the man was going on about something…

"…Larxene is the exact example many people would say a b-"

"_Superior?_" She didn't want to get into stereotyping in this sort of clean environment.

"Yeah, he's the top dog or whatever you would like to call it. Complete bossy-ass type too. Hey! You're interested in talking too! And looking at the person at the same time!" he proclaimed as he noticed her red eyes were on him with fake interest.

_Could he tell the difference between a liter box and a urinal? _She wondered idly as something started to burn. She sniffed then turned back to her 'talkative captor'.

He seemed to have lit a match in his robe or something as smoke emerged from parts of his robes. His face was contorted in a slight anger, his green eyes sparking in her direction.

"We're getting WAY off the subject, YOU. Eat. Now."

"I can't move jack-"

"Well, you can't eat like that now can you." Suddenly a mischievous look entered his emerald irises as he looked down at me, I felt terrifyingly small compared him and his gaze, but mostly him.

"Stay away from me." She spat automatically, seeing all warning signs in red letters on white picket signs, they were dancing around the redhead. By now the smoke had vanished from sight but the smell of something set ablaze clung to her scent glands.

"C'mon, I'll help you up-"

"No, don't touch me-" Too late, while the fork and spoon were placed on the plate, the man had already slid his arm under her wounded back, probably not caring much about the location of her bruises and cuts.

"Am I hurting anything?" he asked as he pressed against her skin, watching as she winced each time.

"_There is EVERYTHING you can hurt!_" she snarled, he frowned.

"Gonna have to do it fast then," he said through his frown, eyes up in thought. She paled.

"Nu-uh…no…"

"You have to sit up or you'll choke-"

"I'll take the risk-"

"One, two, three, UP!" He had held firmly to her shoulder before snapping her up in a sitting position, she was slightly slouching but the pain was undeniably there and undeniably overwhelming.

"Crap! What the hell was that for!" More streams of curses flew from her mouth in both English and what the man suspected; French. When she attempted to lie back down he pushed her back up.

"Calm down you're not dying-"

"You wouldn't be saying the same thing if you were in the same situation!" she cried as gritted her teeth, how many ribs did she break?

"Here, this should help." If it weren't for the exploding pain in her sides she would, as she said before have attacked the man but as he sat down behind her, each foot on either side of her bed (the bed wasn't against a wall), he put the plate down on the night stand that she hadn't noticed before then grasped her forearms gently.

She couldn't help but feel heat launch into her face as he brought her back to lean against him. She could feel everything through that black cloak of his, it was smoothly made to line his proportions and torture the one teen that ended up here completely bandaged and could be mistaken for a mummy!

"Comfy?" he questioned calmly in a more serious tone than before.

"As comfy as I'll ever get…" she muttered with slight sarcasm, her head felt fuzzy…he smirked as he grasped a food-occupied fork.

_When was it the last time I sat on Master's lap? _She remembered telling Eleven she was old enough to sleep without his help and never again wandered back into his room at night…at the age of…what? Nine? After stating that, she felt so bad; _guilty_. Eleven had no family or children of his own…

"_You're everything I could call my own child."_

He had once said, that was on one of those boring, rain-all-day days.

Before when she was running after her master's death, all she could think about was living, but now…

"Open wide!"

His pale, cold, death-claimed face staring at her with empty eyes, his hand dropped to the ground…

…**dropped to the ground…**

He told her the one thing that could keep him alive…

"_I can no longer take this…please, run with it…"_

If she weren't there he would still be alive…

"_My will has shattered Sweetheart…I won't be able to go home after all…"_

He had made a promise several months before he was taken by Mov in secret, where he was claimed missing hours later. He said –

"_I promise everything will turn out all right."_

Now here she was, close to passing out on this stranger's chest…but the positive outlook she decided to point out.

"You make a nice pillow." She stated quietly as she turned away from the offered food.

"Oh, was that a compliment?" he asked smoothly as he attempted to force-feed her again.

"…you're lucking it isn't anyone else trying to feed you ya know, no wait…you wouldn't know… … …eat."

"Not hungry…" Her stomach gave a growl. She froze and blushed immensely while he smirked.

"So you say. Eat."

"No."

"Do it."

"Make me."

As she savored her moment of triumph, it _was_**only** a moment. A second after did she find herself in a very lethal position. The man had shifted himself so quickly that it threw her back onto the bed (since she was dozing off with his support) and found him over her.

Needless to say many naughty thoughts ran through her head as his face came into view with a victorious sneer. His arms out and hands on either side of her head, legs spread casually over her.

"_Get. Off. Of. Me. Now…_" Sure, her legs were aching like hell but it was no challenge to kick him where the sun don't shine right there. He was sure to be wincing a lot more than her in that case.

"_Make me_." He mimicked, smirking insanely now. She could practically see the excitement jumping out of his eyes.

"You're too _tired_…_**weak**_…_**broken**_…face it, I could do _anything_ to you right now." The man whispered as he leaned down to whisper in her ear, she fought the urge to bite him while he was a centimeter away. It could provoke him.

"Just be good, 'kay?" he said as he lifted his face slightly, just to the point where their noses hardly touched.

_Perverted manipulator…I'm not falling for your slime-covered coaxes and lies! _She gave a snarl and lashed out with her right knee, almost instantly, as if expecting it the man grabbed her knee, then she lashed out with the other, now he held both after catching the other knee.

She was screwed.

_Well, this sucks…_ she thought ignorantly as the man continued to smirk.

"Why don't you give up? Fighting won't do you much against anybody or me for that matter. Not in your condition." He explained.

"Really? I'm sorry, being thrown through a wall isn't on my 'want-to-do' lists you lecher!" she snarled as she tried to dislodge her legs from his grip, that apparently felt as if it were of steel material.

"Lecher? That's a new one added to my description, before tempting you further would you be so kind and inform me what your name is?" he asked a bit more quietly.

"_I'll tell you the day I die._" Which wouldn't be for a while that's for sure…

"Man, you're more unruly and unpredictable as Roxas. Won't he be enthusiastic." The man said with a chuckle. With her chance she attempted to sit up again, trying to avoid getting any closer to the redhead by backing up slightly at the same time.

"Whoa, not so fast. Something like you shouldn't be passed up." With every intention to kill him with such brutal force in mind she turned her face to him expecting to give him an earful of new curses he was sure not to have heard before if it weren't for the crushing passion against the body part that spoke for her.

**He**_ was _kissing **her**!

_**Passionately!**_

_What the hell- _she tried to push him back with her hanging arms as he rolled his tongue along the curves of her lips. He had long since released her knees and with his left hand he cradled her chin to meet her eyes.

"Calm down and enjoy…" he seemed to say as he made eye contact before closing his own and nipping at her bottom lip. She frowned, what a situation she was in…a situation she did not want to find herself in with a complete stranger in an even stranger place…

She had no escape route, no health to escape no weapon, she was completely defenseless and as the fact came crashing down on her, her body sort of…

_Went limp to his wishes…_

_He's not bad…_ as much as she couldn't help not thinking it, the random comment ran through her mind as the man continued to tease her, as she hadn't unhinged her jaw to allow entrance. She blazed red, or at least now began to feel it as she forgotten how to think straight.

Had she been laying down this whole time?

Somehow he had pushed her down to the bed without her noticing and him almost laying on _her_. At least he hadn't been groping her or anything, though there wasn't much TO feel in the first place…

"That's it…" when she did submit at long last she didn't feel what she expected, instead warm oatmeal penetrated her mouth and reluctantly, she swallowed.

_Oatmeal? He had oatmeal? _She was sure she saw a plate, but now, she didn't want to think, not about her vulnerability, the fact that the guy was feeding her, and the other fact that he was still on top of her…

None of that seemed to register as she began to drift.

"That's my girl."

She didn't know how, and she certainly didn't care when she felt he face hit something soft and muscular, she didn't complain since it was so warm. Not knowing that in the next few hours she would wake up on the man's chest and consider herself something very inappropriate.

Now the idea of slumbering on Cloud Nine seemed pretty appetizing.

And for some reason, when the man said _'that's my girl'_ and a pair of strong arms wrapped around her; she felt very warm and fuzzy inside…

* * *

**A/N:**

_Org. XIII does know she can die, you would know since it was mentioned in the first chapter when Mov and Axel were talking, but when Axel brought it up the girl was kind of out of it, seeing as she was thrown through a wall. Unfortunately, this gives readers the idea she's invincible, but don't worry, she's not perfect and most definitely NOT a mary-sue.  
_


	3. The Savage Nymph, Larxene

**..::Part II::..**

**..::The Savage Nymph, Larxene::..**

_His tail didn't even **twitch**. He was backed against a wall, clutching his last arrow and bow in the other hand, his quiver suppressed between his back and the wall. With a struggled heave for breath, the fox clothed in green looked around the stone wall cautiously._

Maid Marian… _His wife perhaps? He grasped the wall and with the skill of an expert thief he scampered up the vertical surface, disappearing from the guards' sight. _

_What he didn't know that over that wall and behind the window he would soon break into were these swarming, black creatures with glowing eyes and jagged claws._

**No! Don't go in there!**_ The fox easily maneuvered around the next guard post, and then after dashing past a patrolling wolf sheriff did he hide himself behind wilting rose bushes. The petals losing their blood red luster…_

**Stop!** _The spoken attempts to keep the weary fox from heading straight to his doom were futile, as the voice continued to plead with the seemly unreasonable mammal did he finally penetrate the stone window with a flick of his wrist._

_Everything was _quiet. Empty.

**It's a trap!**

_The fox slithered in like a snake, quieter than a mouse and with the first step taken within the room did it come to life. With that and surroundings going black, a lone, nearly silent 'thud' sounded a flash of green with a red feather landed on something solid in the pitch darkness._

The hunter had been hunted…

* * *

She woke up with a start, cold sweat cooling her warming flesh. Despite the warmth she felt her pillow and sheets were comforting and she couldn't help but snuggle in further into them until she came to a realization.

_Pillows do NOT breathe._ She blinked rapidly, slowly she edged her head into this so-called 'pillow', and it slowing fell and rose and fell. This pillow was _breathing!_

_But how? Pillows are filled with feathers – well, the ones I've been known to sleep on – and it is logically impossible that feathers do NOT, in fact, breathe but – oh…oh! Oh no… _She looked up into the face of her captor – the Perverted Manipulator as she had come to call him.

If she was going to be known as the _Albino Weasel,_ he might as well have a suiting title.

_I'm not here. This is but a dream – no, nightmare. I'm just having a really bad nightmare! Is all. But why does he feel real? I mean, the guy's breathing! Do you feel people breathing in dreams? Right, I'm keeping to my original theory. This is a REALLY BAD NIGHTMARE! Someone wake me up! Let it be Master Eleven! Make him wake me up and tell me I'm running at least five hundred laps for sleeping in! _

It was obvious she was the only girl who wouldn't want to be in this position.

She stopped abruptly, her pondering coming to a halt. Everything came flooding back to her now. In great tsunami waves, they came crashing on her fantasies and pressed her into reality. Making her more than seasick…

_Don't cry! It won't make anything better don't cry! Don't cry!_

…

…

…

A whimper escaped her lips and she repeatedly hurried to swallow her upcoming hiccups, in painful gasps she tried to hide and rubbed the fugitive tears again the man's cloak.

_Okay…m-maybe I am crying but he doesn't have to know…doesn't have to know…_ the pressure of holding the Secret and possibly the responsibility of Eleven's death lingered strongly and weighed her heart down further.

_I need to leave this place…_ there was **nothing** to do. It made her think and that thinking brought memories she didn't want to remember.

Minutes later she passed out again against her sleeping buddy. Who surprisingly was awake even before she awoke. Flashing his eyes open, he swiveled over to his back, her head lolling away but keeping him in contact. His hands went behind his head as he glanced up at the wall.

_Did I ever cry? _He thought solemnly as he peered over at the albino. She grimaced when she tried to move her arms. With the deepest regret he emerged from the bed and looked back down at the slumbering girl.

He frowned before walking out.

As he shut the door he leaned his back up against it, inside the absence of his heat triggered the girl's overloading emotions, it took him time to realize she was sobbing all-out - thinking he was gone and out of earshot.

_You'll have to help yourself girl. _He thought as he stood up straight and dusted off his cloaks before strolling away with his hands in his pockets.

After all, a Nobody can't help anybody.

* * *

It seemed like hours later when the girl woke up again with a satisfied enough being to be restless. She blinked her rapidly growing-angry eyes as she tried to move her feet.

Which were neatly tangled in the sheets.

_Perfect._ She thought to herself as she snarled as she kicked at the white sheets.

"You won't get out that way." It was clear to the girl that this wasn't the man she had somehow ended up sleeping with in a non-sexual way. Instead, it was a woman made obvious by the voice alone. The girl looked (or tried) above her shoulder to see the entrance.

Now, if it weren't for the cloak and witty blue eyes, the girl could have mistaken the woman as part of the scenery as her hair was blonde enough to be white if it were a couple shades lighter.

"I s'pose you couldn't help me?" The girl retorted, kicking at the sheets again. The woman gave a sigh before walking over and peeling the sheets off the girl's semi-bandaged legs.

_At least THEY work!_ The girl mentally moaned.

"What's your name? Axel failed to give it to me when he told me to give you a hand." The woman said, she didn't say it unkindly, but she wasn't too kind about speaking either. Her eyes narrowed slightly down at the albino girl, if her eyes were red themselves they could have possibly been related.

"Axel?" the girl repeated the woman snorted.

"You mean for the past week you had no idea what his name was?" the woman asked, the girl started.

"_Past week?_" the girl repeated her mouth straining to keep itself from dropping. She had been waking up and falling asleep for a _week?_ She survived off of _one bite of oatmeal?_ She certainly felt famished now, but it felt like one day or two. This was certainly surprising news…

"You've been out of it, even a three-year-old could tell that much. _Yes,_ you've been under the care of the Organization for a _week._ It amazes me that you had no more than one meal and didn't complain through the past few nights." The woman stated her tone sharpening.

"Great…" _Just great, first week here and someone's already suspicious. Lord just shoot me down now and take me with you Secret or not._ The girl thought partially angrily due to her never-to-die issue. The woman continued to stare at her skeptically.

"Your name?" she repeated her voice on the last straw it seems but she wore a smirk. It reminded the girl of a female Axel or so that person was called…

"Oh, right, might as well give it to y'all. My name is Chenry," the girl replied dryly.

"Well, _Chenry_. Can I call you Cherry?" the blonde woman asked, amusement dancing her orbs. Chenry sent her a glare that could scare off bears.

"Chen-chan? Oh, Axel did mention _Albino Weasel_ or something along those lines…" she was cut off by another piercing glare.

"_My. Name. Is. Chenry. Not. Chen-chan. Or. Albino. Weasel…_" she emphasized the words to match her mood, this stupid man named Axel decides to kidnap her, then sleep with her (in that non-sexual way) and then he sends her a baby-sitter. Oh joy.

"Don't get snappy. Anyway, unless you want a guy dressing you. You better get it straight that I'm just helping you because-"

"Axel asked you to." It was a statement made by Chenry, the woman snarled.

"_No._ Axel has nothing to do with this, I am one of slight dignity – since I can't own much anyway – and besides, it would be nice to converse with another of the same gender. Marluxia and Axel aren't exactly girls, even if one associates with the garden a tad much…"

"Are you Larxene?" Chenry guessed, as the woman made her way to Chenry's side.

"Yeah, let me guess, Axel was going on about me huh?" Larxene answered as she grasped onto Chenry's shoulders.

"Ouch! Wait! No! Not there! If you're going to help me at least do what I say!"

And as of now, the battle begins.

"STOP WHINING-"

"_YOU'RE MAKING ME WHINE!_"

"DON'T BE SUCH A BABY!"

"_IF I WERE SUCH I WOULD BE IN A CRIB!_"

"ALL RIGHT WE'LL HAVE ONE INSTALLED FOR YOU!"

"_WILL IT BE WHITE TOO?!_"

"SHUT UP!"

* * *

An approaching Xaldin quickly halted at the volume of their voices and began backing away slowly before turning heel and power-walking in the opposite direction.

* * *

Thirty minutes later after Larxene managed Chenry up she began to point out options for clothing.

"There's the black turtle-neck but it wouldn't be so good seeing that your hair is way to light and then there's-"

"Why can't I just wear a cloak over this." Chenry said, looking down at her attire, it would be most painful to remove it all and put something else on. Larxene frowned.

"These are for members ONLY." Larxene scolded, Chenry grunted.

"Whatever." She mumbled as the Savage Nymph went on down the list.

In the end, Chenry ended up in a black hoodie with two limp sleeves (Chenry flat out refused to bend her broken arms), black jeans and black boots. Everything in the wardrobe was black, while the building was white. If it weren't for Larxene's hair and eye color, Chenry would've been sure that she could've gone colorblind.

"Are you up for eating?" Larxene asked, Chenry gave her a strange look.

"Reading?"

Another skeptical look.

"Fighting?"

Chenry rolled her eyes.

"Anything besides sleeping?"

Chenry smiled in that false-like way. Larxene growled.

"Fine, I'll leave you to explore. Just don't get on anyone's nerves, we're not all forgiving." Larxene said as she began to make her way towards the door.

"Wait…um, I can't…go out like…this…" It took a few moments for Larxene to notice that Chenry was talking about her hair. Tangled and limp on her scalp, Larxene gave a soft smile.

_What was Axel talking about? Larxene isn't as much of a -itch as he is. Ooh…burn._ Chenry wondered.

"Brush it yourself." With that, the door slammed shut. Leaving Chenry to her own resources.

"YOU -ITCH!!"

And here my fine folk, did the official war commence.

* * *

Meanwhile, faraway in a town of neon lights did a pair of eyes flutter open and glow with worry.

_This is not Nottingham…_

* * *

Chenry walked solemnly down the halls, the bare, clean, WHITE halls. She never felt like this, had there ever been a place like this before had to have been a hospital of some sort. Since not only were the walls white, the floors and ceilings and doors were white.

There was no sign of originality ANYWHERE!

_Can't I talk to someone? Civilly?_ Chenry let out a sigh of frustration. She needed to get out she knew, but how? Before after Larxene left Chenry searched her room thoroughly since she didn't get a good look from her position before. There were no windows.

And by the looks of her exploring as of far, there was no means of escape.

"The Key bearer has finally entered." Someone said, Chenry grew suspicious.

_Key bearer…? Where have I heard that before? A textbook perhaps? _Though it did little good, Chenry skimmed a lot of pages with no pictures on them…

"Why don't you give him a proper greeting?" someone else said.

"Pleasure's mine." Chenry ducked out of sight behind something solid when a nearby door opened. There were many times she had to escape her master's view in terms of when she caused various trouble like freezing his faucet with a mild Blizzard spell…he wouldn't have been about to shave that morning if he couldn't have melted the ice himself.

Holding her breath and attempting to calm her speeding heart as footsteps approached her hiding place, her stomach beginning to feel like it was dropping and her heart riding up her throat.

Silently with his cloak billowing behind did a man walk by, he seemed occupied by his thoughts as he didn't even look around as he strolled right by Chenry. When he was several meters away from her she thought for sure she had gotten away with it but her thoughts backfired when the man came to halt.

Not even bothering to turn around he said –

"Be wary stranger, a Nobody is as much of a foe of yours as you believe it to be an ally." The hooded man spoke in a riddled tone before stepping into a wall of animated darkness.

Chenry glared as it was swallowed by air and continued in doing so till someone forced her back into reality.

"_What_ are YOU doing down _here?_" It was the man Larxene called Axel. His bright green eyes boring into her red ones.

"I could be _exploring_ or more possibly _breathing_ oh smart one." She snarled back as she managed to push Axel away with her unharmed right shoulder. He somehow crept up on her and grabbed hold on her shoulder before. Apparently aware her sleeves were limp for a reason.

"Others can see you." He stated with a serious tone that seemed oddly out of whack.

"No, _really?_ I was so sure I was invisible." Chenry growled as she and the pyromaniac stared each other down. They couldn't size each other up; she was shorter by a whole foot or so! She would lose automatically!

"Fine, I suppose I can understand if you want to spend time with someone." Axel said, looking up as he pondered, putting his hand to his chin. Chenry raised a brow. "Not really, let me guess, you were _bored._"

"What did you mean? _Not really?_" she repeated, Axel stopped, a look of realization flickered in his eyes.

"I guess I didn't explain yet huh? Let's put it this way, everyone you see here are Organization members, well, except for the keyblade wielder with the duck and dog downstairs and – never mind, point is, we – as in Nobodies – have no hearts. Got it memorized?" Axel asked, pointing at his head with a sneer, for some reason Chenry felt like she would hear that more often.

"_I guess I didn't explain yet huh? Let's put it this way, everyone you see here are Organization members, well, except for the keyblade wielder with the duck and dog downstairs and – never mind, point is, we – as in the Nobodies – have no hearts. **Got it memorized?**_" She copied with a victorious smirk that rivaled Axel's own.

"Not bad, kid." Axel said, his sneer still plastered to his face. Chenry narrowed her eyes.

"The name is not _kid_, it's Chenry." Chenry spoke virulently, Axel held up his hands in mock defense.

"All right, all right, _chill._ It would've helped if you told me that before, _Cherry._"

"_Chen-ry. _Say it with me now. _Chen-ry._" Chenry wasn't fond of her new nickname already, Larxene was enough. But somewhere deep down, she did enjoy that fact that she could talk in such a teasing manner without being scolded for it.

Master Eleven was all business for her.

"Uh-huh. Well, let's get you somewhere else. I rather not have to explain anything to _Petal Boy._" Axel said with a hint of disgust in his tone, Chenry raised a brow before followed.

She decided not to ask.

"I suppose Roxas wouldn't mind that company." Axel spoke quietly, probably not talking to her but to himself.

_Roxas? X? Does everyone's name here feature an 'X'?_ She wondered maybe the _Superior_ was the _Ultimate X_ or _Mr. X_ or _X the Great_ or something. She laughed inwardly at her random thoughts as a cartoon-ish critter walked around in her mind sported an X on his chest…

"Stop lagging,"

_At least the idiot hadn't forgotten my arms are injured._ She mentally growled as Axel grabbed her shoulders and pushed her through a portal of darkness. She didn't even notice Axel come up behind her.

_I'm seriously lacking in sensing ki, is it the fact they have no hearts affecting that?_ She wondered as she allowed the darkness to swallow her body.

_**It has been foreseen by the Secret's eye**_

* * *

_**A/N:**_

_Hello peoplez! My first KH fic and I'm really looking forward to writing it! It wasn't too long ago someone saved over my complete games and now, I have to start ALL OVER on KH2! Trust me, I was sizzling. All well, I was going to start it over some time and what better time than now? Anyway, school starts next Monday and I have my meets coming up so I will continue updating, just not as fast as I usually am (call that fast?). Now, here's some word from my co-author, Jingles!_

_**Jingles**: Let's get the Disclaimer over with and done with first of all, neither I nor Aspen own Kingdom Hearts._

_Aspen becomes downcast._

_**Jingles continuing**: This will possibly be considered a Kingdom Hearts III! So, the title will become Kingdom Hearts III The Secret. So therefore, Chenry will NOT be staying in Castle Chocobo for long, she will be in fact, traveling worlds with a pair of Disney friends of her own and come across many of our well-known, beloved characters of the former KH games and many more! Aspen also looks forward to squeezing anime worlds into the series._

_Aspen cheers!_

_**Jingles**: So this won't be a complete love story sorry to disappoint you hopeless romantics, but Aspen herself is deprived a love life._

_**Aspendragon**: I'm single and free and proud of it!_

_**Jingles**: Anyway, Aspen promises (pinky-swears are out of the question as I have no pinkies) that she will keep to the plot the best she can as she is beginning Kingdom Hearts III at the beginning of Chain of Memories and since she hadn't finished that game herself, her information may be inaccurate so if you find anything wrong, please fire at her and not her co-author._

_Aspen (unknown to her pudgy cat) points at Jingles._

_**Jingles**: Next to that, she is also a big lover of the Nobodies and KH original characters (Sora, Riku, Kairi, etc) and appreciates it if anyone reading this will please leave a review so she can get her mind straight._

_Aspen glares at Jingles, silently threateining to halve his catnip supply._

_**Jingles**: Noooooooooooooo! cough I mean, so she can see what ideas you have or something that might motivate her. However, she will never stop writing this till she's done as she can be quite stubborn._

_Aspen pumps her fist into the air!_

_**Aspenragon**: I'll keep Chenry as realistic as possible, I just had to add the Secret because I'm currently reading the Da Vinci Code and I had an urge to have my story revolve around a secret of my own imagination! Anyway, happy reading!_

_**Aspen exits with Jingles on her heels exusing her of not emptying his litter box daily**._

With that said, Chenry may remain in Castle Oblivion for another 1-2 chapters or less.


	4. Running Without Luck

**..:Part III:..**

**..:Running Without Luck:.. **

As they walked through the corridor of darkness, Chenry felt a great weight settle on her heart, like a huge hand grasping it and squeezing it harder and harder every time she was forced to take a step. Her heart…it felt like it was slowing down…it also became clear, as she continued to struggle walking, that her voice was somehow impaired and her windpipe was also suffering.

_Ax…el…_ she couldn't even think right…

But almost as fast as it came did it vanish. The darkness cleared up in an instant and Chenry gained back her normal body functions. However her heart began to rapidly beat, it even sped up and pumped blood into her face when she noticed she was being carried.

"_I'm sorry._ But you passed out." Axel said with a smirk as they made eye contact. She snarled viscously as she took in the fact he was carrying her like a groom would hold his new bride. Hence bridal-style.

"_Put. Me. Down._" Her red eyes flickering more brightly every second. He smiled; irking her further.

"Sure you won't faint _again?_" he asked as he readjusted his grip.

"_Put me down!_" she repeated hastily as she was sure her skin was redder than a sunburn by now. Axel appeared to have noticed as his grip tightened and he leaned forward, noses about to touch.

"You're **blushing**. Does that mean you think I'm hot?" Axel sneered as she blushed five more shades of red, tilting his head slightly as he began to lean in further…

And further…

And further…

_KA-POWWIE!_

"Whoa! Axel, you have no luck with the ladies man!" A cheerful voice said with a laugh, Axel grunted as he rubbed his sore cheek that was already sporting a darkening bruise. Chenry was on her feet finally, whimpering over her once-slinged arm that was hanging limply at her side, showing not in the sleeve but revealed at the bottom of the hoodie.

"Did he hurt you? I always knew he was a hothead but this definitely says something about his skull's density! Here, let me see…is your arm broken?" The cheerful voice became worried as Chenry grimaced at the touch that came upon her injured limb.

"_It's broken?_ You slugged Axel with a _broken_ arm? Beat that you pyromaniac!" The voice turned out to belong to a boy younger than her, probably fifteen with spiky blonde hair and curious, azure irises. They seemed to wave at her, openly accepting and **reflect** the ocean…

"Shut it Roxas," Axel growled back, still bubbling over his pain.

"You're a big fire baby you know that? Here you're crying over a bruise while she punched you with a broken arm, here, you're going to need help putting that back in the sling." The blonde boy called Roxas said, he too wore a black cloak like Axel with the silver attachments adorning his chest.

"Lots coming from you, I still remember when you first saw dusks _he he…_" Axel said with a smirk as he regained his posture, as Roxas helped raise her hoodie (she has the white garments from before on) he scowled.

"_Keep your trap shut flame-head!_" Roxas retorted as he worked out the sling, Chenry raised a brow.

"Dusks?" she repeated, Axel appeared smug.

"Uh huh, they're Nobodies too, just more…inferior. They're white and unlike Heartless, they actually think. Roxas nearly wet himself, oh what a sight to behold to forever cherish!" Axel explained, Roxas closed his eyes in frustration before reopening them and attempting to place her arm back in the sling.

"Ow, ow, ow, ow-"

"Sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry-"

"You two are pitiful." Axel said as Chenry continued to voice her pain and Roxas shooting out quiet apologies.

"Coming from you, that's saying something. Seeing as you were crying over a girl that hooked your jaw." Roxas replied back as Chenry's arm was back in place and the hoodie came down to where it was before.

"By the way," Roxas continued before Axel could continue, Axel's jaw clamped shut. "Name's Roxas."

"Chenry." Chenry replied with a smile.

"Sure, be all friendly with him." Axel growled.

"I'm not attempting to viscously flirt or passionately kiss her Axel, you should learn patience." Roxas said with a triumphant grin, Axel started.

"How much did you see?" Axel asked, appearing bored.

"Enough." Roxas replied with his silly grin, Axel scratched the back of his head. Chenry smirked.

_I like this Roxas. Friendly, good comebacks, keeps the fire-surge lunatic in line, adorable, nope, nothing I see wrong with him. Not my type though. Shame._ Chenry thought, despite the fact she had studied magic and knew the Secret, she was still a teenager deprived of a love life.

"So…why are you guys here? I thought you were posted at Castle Oblivion." Roxas said, turning towards Axel. He shrugged with an indifferent sigh.

_That was what that place was called? Fitting name._ She thought as she remembered with a chill the bare white walls, floors and ceilings. It was like an asylum.

It was then she got a good look at her surroundings. Axel's portal took them to a damp, dark world. City lights glared down at them and one single tall tower stood before them empty space and neatly placed stairs and railings before that tower. The sky held no care to support life; it was dark, clouds rolling and concealed the outer space.

"Well, you see, Marluxia doesn't know about her being inside the place. I accidentally ran into Larxene while transporting the girl – which was rather useful, seeing as she was a girl herself – but I rather not have the kid get involved with anybody else there." Axel explained, then he shifted his weight to one foot. "Besides, you seem pretty lonely."

Suddenly Roxas got that faraway look in his eyes, Chenry observed the reaction. He was thinking she figured something that baffled him and couldn't seem to conclude.

Chenry was somewhat concerned for her newfound friend; Axel seemed to feel the same way since he instantly decided to change the subject.

"Anyway, you wouldn't mind if she stayed around here would you? I mean, I'll come in by and by and make sure she isn't causing much trouble for her board and rent. But Castle Oblivion is currently under construction." Axel said as he finished the sentence with mock interest, smirking a little. Roxas nodded.

"Whatever, she can stay. I'm not sure where though, I suppose she can take my bed…I could always have the couch…heck, I hardly sleep anymore anyway…" he began trailing off so quietly that Chenry alone could almost not hear him, Axel probably couldn't hear squat.

"Well, that's good. Keep each other busy, I'll be back in an hour or two." Axel said before disappearing in a black portal. With the last wisps of black going and gone, Roxas turned to Chenry. He smiled.

"Let's get going," Roxas said as he silently motioned for her to follow him.

"You two seem to know each other pretty well." Chenry said, trying to spark a conversation. Roxas nodded.

"Yeah, we're good friends." Roxas replied, his blue eyes agonized.

"It's not my place and all, but you seem troubled." Chenry pointed out, he blinked.

"Yeah…maybe I am…" Roxas said before going quiet again.

Several moments of silence passed between them, only the quiet dripping of water from leaking pipes and nearby gutters sounded in the night. Chenry found it all unnerving, were conditions here good enough for a full-fledge recovery?

"It's a good idea to talk about it with someone, not me obviously, but…maybe Axel would do. You two seem close enough to have a secret handshake or something." She felt a pang of happiness as she got a chuckle out of the blonde Organization member.

"It wouldn't do much good, I'm the only one in the Order that wonders what I wonder, besides, Axel and I are not unlike the rest of the Nobodies, we can only _remember_ what it was before when we _had_ hearts." Roxas explained with a calm, friendly bitterness. Even Chenry felt a bit stung.

No hearts. No understandings. Was that the way of the Nobodies? Or only one of them?

In that case, Axel had no heart. All she experienced (forced to) was out of lust? That certainly made things feel a _whole_ lot better…

"Sorry," Chenry apologized; feeling it was not right for her to open an already bleeding wound. Roxas but only brushed it off.

"Don't apologize, things are what they are. It's hard to or practically impossible to change." Roxas said as they came to a door.

"Um…Roxas?" she muttered.

"Yeah?" he asked as he opened it and they stepped inside a fairly decent room.

"Where are we?" she asked, Roxas flipped on a switch that brought dim light that revealed a clean sofa, counters with a bit of crumbs on it and a dusty refrigerator and a single stairway that went up and out of sight.

"Oh, right, welcome to _The__World that Never Was._" Roxas said, spreading his arms out like the head of a welcoming committee.

In a way, Chenry did feel sort of at home.

"You can take my bed upstairs, and don't worry, I usually fall asleep on the sofa anyway." Roxas said before she could object. Her eyes roamed towards the stairs, Roxas followed her gaze before returning his own to her.

"You're probably tired, you go ahead and get some sleep, I need to finish my patrols anyway. Shouldn't be back till a couple of hours." Roxas said as he ushered her towards the stairs. She gave him a reproachful glare.

"I can find the stairs on my own," she stated tiredly, now feeling the fatigue that she was sure a result of her passing from Castle Oblivion to The World that Never Was.

"Uh, yeah, right. Sorry, just rest up for a bit 'kay?" Roxas said before giving a warm smile and heading out. The door clicked, indicating it had been locked to keep her from leaving and things from entering other than Roxas himself.

_Sleep. Right, it sounds nice. _She thought as she climbed the stairs, coming to the top she glanced around, there was a small space, a small window looking out at the lit city and one door on either side of it.

Roxas gave him her bed, and it was in the room that wasn't securely shut and bolted tight as she played around with the knob before decided his room was the other way.

She was right; the door to the left was easier to open than the door to the right if the only door that could open at all. Inside was fairly empty like downstairs; livable. A bed with a bronze frame, white sheets, a white pillow, a coat rack with no windows. A single bulb hung at the ceiling, in which she had to pull the strong to trigger the light.

_I suppose it'll do…_ she thought as she landed softly on her back to avoid further harm to her arms. She fell asleep almost instantly.

-----------

_Tired…so tired…_

"**Have you not said that enough already?"**

_Eh? Who…who are you?_

"**Who are _you_? I don't recall your energy signature."**

_Energy signature?_

"**Something that allows me to recognize a being, like how you sense ki."**

_You know I sense ki? Who told you?_

"**Your mind did."**

_Are you a psychic?_

"**Not something I find pleasant."**

_Oh…well, you didn't answer me, who are you?_

"**I have been sensing your energy for a while now, maybe it is you who should tell me your name."**

_Not unless YOU give me a name._

"**At least answer this, are you human?"**

_Last time I checked…_

"**What world do you inhabit?"**

_Uh…The World that Never Was?_

"**A joke perhaps?"**

_I wasn't the founder!_

"**As you bluntly stated."**

_What world are you in?_

"**Doesn't matter, I don't belong there anyway."**

_Where do you belong then?_

"**Anywhere but here."**

_Different?_

"**Indeed."**

_Don't feel alone then._

"…**this isn't the time nor place for that talk."**

_Have we always been connected?_

"**I'm…uncertain."**

_You seem to be a pretty nice guy to me. _

"**What makes you think that?"**

_You share the same suspicions as I do._

"**How so?"**

_Neither of us is giving our names to one another._

"**Yes, that is true."**

_How about we give our names at the same time._

"**My mere being is not worth mentioning, let alone my name. It's all a copy; fake."**

_I may not know you…but don't talk like that-_

"**It is, what it is. I cannot even deny that fact."**

_Are we going to chat like this often?_

"**I cannot answer that with certainty."**

_You speak funny er…in a good way!_

"**So I've been told."**

_Do you think we'll meet in person?_

"**Possibly; there are many possibilities out there. We may meet face to face someday."**

_I'm just curious._

"**As am I, I have never connected with an outsider before."**

_I haven't ever talked telepathically._

"**I noticed."**

_Hey!_

"**I must depart now."**

_But! Uh! Fine, whatever. Next time I'm getting answers._

"**I see, our goals are quite similar in that case."**

_Watch it buddy! I'm no squirrel!_

"**If that were the case, you wouldn't sound so alto."**

_That better have been a compliment._

"**I see you are in need of help…I suppose I could leave a remedy…"**

_Eh? That would be…?_

"**Night."**

**------------ **

Chenry sat up; wide awake. With a sigh she looked around the dark room. Unaware she had slept for hours and Roxas had come to turn off the light before he fell into slumber halfway on her bed.

Chenry watched him, his torso and head snoozing at her feet with his legs at the floor; his hands clutching the sheets. His snores light and hardly audible.

_He's so cute!_ She couldn't resist with a rare case of affection towards the young male, she felt no feelings beyond friendship for the blonde kid, but she couldn't help but think it was a good time for a camera.

_He seems to work really hard…I wonder what this Organization makes him do… _she wondered as she shifted her position. A small sound came to her ears, it sounded like liquid.

"Hm?" she frowned as she tried to look to her side, where a small vial of clear water leaned against her.

_So that dream was linked to telekinesis._ She thought as she eyed the vial. _Water? Am I suppose to drink it?_

A voice in the back of her head said **'yes'**, maybe the guy could be a trustworthy ally.

-------------

"Axel visited sometime before I passed out." Roxas said as he yawned again, sitting up on his bed that Chenry was currently occupying. Thirty minutes ago she woke the boy up and told him to help her drink from the vial.

He questioned its contents and she replied that it was hers that somehow slid out of her hoodie and she just now remembered it. He seemed to refuse the idea but did what he was told.

As soon as the water touched her lips she felt instantly refreshed, pure warmth slid along her bones and almost five minutes later, her arms were repaired and injuries appeared never to have been there.

"What was that?" he had asked, she shrugged.

"Something a friend gave me." She replied back, still wondering whom the voice belonged to her. He was a psychic that was certain since she had none of those abilities to begin with.

"Wait…what about Axel?" she asked as she stretched out her arms, extremely happy she could now move them about again.

_I swear when I see Mov again I'll wring his neck and throw him in a blender than give him to the fish to eat! _She thought nastily.

"I said Axel came to check up on you, he seemed pretty concerned. Well, that's my guess. He does the same for me when he gets off duty. I swear, it's like he baby-sits me or something." Roxas moaned. Chenry felt for him, she knew the feeling of being watched twenty-four hours.

"You know…about that scene I stumbled upon yesterday…" Roxas began, Chenry felt the heat rise. "I bet he was just trying to get some kicks. He's like that, Axel is."

_Jerkface. _"Are you saying I'm his _playtoy?_" she asked shrewdly, he looked up in thought.

"Yeah, I suppose I am." She sweat-dropped.

"Wow…"

"Are you hungry?" her stomach answered for her, as a huge roar seemed to burst from her innards. He grinned.

"That would be a yes huh? All right, let me see what I can find."

…which wasn't much. In the end, all there was to eat was a few slices of bread, a jug of water and cereal bars on damaged plates – some even glued or taped back together. Chenry eyed the food wearily. She had received better.

_Ah…beggers can't be choosers I s'pose…_ she mentally moaned as she poked at the bread. _At least nothing is LIVING in it…does Roxas eat this all the time? Do nobodies need to eat? Well, it seems they need to sleep…eating is no different…it's an essential need. _

Roxas was called out as soon as he placed the food on the table, or so she was told as he waved a good-bye and vanished through a portal similar to Axel's.

"I wonder how Byozone City is fairing…" she wondered idly as she bit into the bread, it tasted okay…but it was probably her thoughts that were leaving a bad after-taste in her mouth.

_I wonder if Axel really…_killed _the royal family…_ for some reason, it was Master Douche's death that really effected her the most. If it was because she KNEW he was gone or whether or not the royal family of Byozone City is alive or not is questionable; something like that must have frozen her insides. She just couldn't process any of that into her mind…

But in her heart, something told her to feel for the hope she needed to return to Byozone and destroy Mov and his plans – whatever they were.

She sighed then got up, her stomach wouldn't allow her to eat anymore so she stepped towards the door. The albino eyed it, Roxas had left through a portal, and did that mean it was unlocked?

Slowly, she reached out to the knob and turned it. With a soft 'click', it revealed to her that it was in fact, open for her to go in and out without question.

_Freedom._ She cried happily as she leapt out without looking.

"Eh?" She froze, at least five guys in black coats like Roxas and Axel peered up at her, all five in a circle, hoods up; concealing their identities. She was frozen in mid-stride and meekly gave a shy smile.

"Er…yo?" she greeted with a simple flick of her wrist in a wave. They continued to stare at her.

And stared…

And stared…

They started when she bolted impulsively to her right.

"Hey! Stop!" It was a man, and by the looks of their uniforms, they were all male. She gulped as she continued sprinting down the dreary streets of The World that Never Was. When she pulled over to take a breather when she heard no more footsteps, she leaned down on her knees and inhaled deeply.

"Don't think you can escape so easily." Someone spoke; she jumped up and looked around wildly. Her eyes scanned her surroundings and landed on a black coat probably fifteen yards away. He was leaning against the wall casually. Shuffling a pack of cards.

"Than I must thank you for being so kind as to telling me that. Toodles!" She started to bolt in the opposite direction but a burst of black came out from in front of her.

She nearly slipped as she swerved and went around it. A black hand aiming for her right forearm.

"You people are so grabby!" she growled as the hand grazed her sleeve. Finally being about to swing her arms in motion made everything seem in working order; fulfilling.

"Halt." It was a definite order, but if it weren't for the claymore's point at her windpipe. The owner of the weapon was still hooded, she snarled.

"I believe you are a somebody." The man said.

"Really? What did I look like from a distance?" she asked crudely, the man appeared stiff.

"An albino weasel ducking for cover."

_Damn. Do I really? _She didn't give it much more thought than that as she searched for a way out of this predicament. If she didn't do something soon, she would be a _dead_ somebody.

"I don't know how you got here, but I'm sure with some persuasion, you wouldn't mind explaining that." The man continued, she raised a brow.

"You and what army?" Suddenly four more weapons were drawn out and pointed dangerously close to her. She looked around with her eyes only; the rest of his black coat buddies had surrounded her.

_Double damn._

"You can either answer or be killed." The man stated.

"Oh?" _What great options! _"What's the third option?" Chenry pressed, buying time for her to think something up. Though it was sort of futile.

"Let me rephrase, you can either answer, die a quick death or be brutally tortured until your last breath."

"Even better…" she quoted silently as she glared at the black coats.

"So? What'll it be?" It was then that Chenry came to the realization that nobodies truly didn't have hearts.

And certainly knew how to make one give in.

------------

**A/N:**

_I'll say the same thing I told one of my reveiwers in means of copy and paste!_

_Unfortunately, I haven't written enough of the story to point out that my character ISN'T a mary-sue. I, like many of you, despise them and I will not tolerate that kind of insult. But unlike how I started out my other stories, I haven't had much time to think and I'm writing on motivation and sudden thoughts. _

_ But I suppose that's no excuse, but I do want you and others that I do not intend to make Chenry perfect. Perfection is a scary thing. So if you continue to read my story, you may see that I will prove this note right._

_All right, and about Zexion. Reealifin pointed out that I have labeled him an emo. This does take place around the beginning of the CoM series, but let's take this quote to heart shall we? When Axel mentioned Zexion was an emo, let's remember how sarcastic Axel is and HE was the one SAYING it. Not me. Him! So no, I don't believe Zexy-kun is an emo so NO ONE get offended and sensitive over the subject!_

_ZEXION IS NOT AN EMO! I KNOW! I HATE stereotyping and I never have except on an occasion or two since I'm not perfect either._

_And no, I didn't know what Douche meant in English (Reealifin said he/she was distracted by the word though I don't see the big deal), I innocently picked the word up from a box of watercolor pencils on my desk and Angell came from my fave.; musical, RENT. Except spelled differently._

_Anway, that's all I have to say for now, thank you for all you honest reveiwers out there! I will not fear in answering any of your questions so feel free to point out errors along the way and please, if you do think Chenry is a mary-sue and I cannot change your mind, do give me some suggestions on what to do please. That's all I ask._

_Thank you._

_Aspen_

_& Jingles (who hasn't spoken to me today)_

**Jingles: **Because you brought you stupid dog downstairs! You know how much I hate her! (referring to the only dog in the family of Aspen - Angel.)_  
_


	5. The Albino Twins

**..::Part IV::..**

**..::The Albino Twins::..**

**Chenry's POV**

It kind of happened pretty fast. The men in black, all staring me down with my heart beating faster than I could blink. All those questions ran through my head at least a thousand times.

_What'll they do if I don't say anything?_

_What'll happen if I DO anything?_

_Can I run? _

_Will I be caught?_

_It's all up to me huh? _ The last thought was pretty sarcastic by all means it was. It used to be left to Master Eleven, if the palace was attacked, someone threatened the royal family etc. It was usually Master Eleven the guards came running to in the middle of one of my lessons.

Now that I remember those times, I do recall Mov somewhere…sitting around behind a curtain or something – _spying…_he reminded me of some kidnapper waiting in the shadows half covered by a shadow, with that creepy smile and wide eye looking straight out at Master Eleven…

Than that creepy, wide eye would swerve over at me and I got the chills…people staring at me scared me ever since…I think I might have screamed at the head guard at one point when I thought I saw his eyes on me…

**Normal POV**

"So then…we have no choice." A darker, more sinister; _smooth_ voice spoke. His hands folded behind his back, his hood arched over a little and his back hunched, as if he were analyzing Chenry. The others gave their own ways of replying.

One gave a silent nod, another murmured in agreement; there was even a flick of a wrist that showed he didn't care. Then did they raise their weapons.

_These guys are most definitely beyond my of league…_ she thought horridly as she looked from one weapon to another, it was as if time had stopped the minute their weapons were cocked.

Unfortunately, if time did freeze, it suddenly thawed as the weapons came down on her and she held her hands up and clamped her eyes shut.

Time stopped…

_Her heart came to a stop…_

_Don't be scared of your light._

_Allument. Enchantė chaud fragment. Créer._

_.sllewd that ssenkrad eht ton hsirehC_

_Vois. Voix. Sentent. _

_Look past and step future._

_Se faire. Pardonnez. Omettre._

_Today – not yesterday._

_Pas demain._

_Dream._

_Rapellez._

"GET UP! YEN! GET UP!" A shrill voice cried out, making the girl curled up in bed moan and tighten the blankets around her.

"Another hour…" she muttered groggily. But no later did her door (that was bolted five times over) swing open and her comforter and sheets ripped from her grasp.

"**SCHOOL**." That was all it took from her twin sister to get the girl called Yen out of bed.

"Crap…" She groaned as she jogged around the room, grabbing random clothing off the hangers and running into the bathroom. Her head popping back out and her deep red eyes staring at the twin.

"How long do I have?" she asked, brows furrowed, waiting for the girl to search her one-word vocabulary for the right word.

"**TWENTY.**" She spoke, Yen cursed.

"Why didn't you wake me up sooner?" Her sister, Fuu didn't even bother replying as Yen vanished behind the door. The shower sounded and turned off practically two minutes later.

"Was it me or was that two minutes? Is it possible to take a thorough shower in two minutes? What the heck! Let's go! Wait, what was I talking about?" Yen asked as she struggled to put her foot into her sock as the other bounced her across the room.

Even though Fuu didn't show it, she was probably amused by the scene before her.

Unlike her sister, Yen was a slob. She was no perfectionist, in fact, she hated perfection. Books, rulers, pencils, erasers, charcoal sticks strewn the floor. Papers were everywhere; canvases finished, incomplete and empty sat in three different spots. Her bed was unmade, closet open, book bag unorganized.

Oh yes, Yen's environment was as perfect as a pigsty.

"**FIFTEEN.**" Fuu pressed as she turned heel, already dressed in her usual blue, sleeveless, turtleneck zip-up and light yellow cargo pants complete with her lavender slip-on shoes. Her appearance was even strict on perfection. Though, Yen and Fuu were close, just no one believed it despite their look-alikes.

Both were fifteen, short silver hair (Fuu's was spiked at the end and Yen's held a single braid behind each ear), red eyes (Yen's were brighter), Fuu was stoic and teen of few words (literally), and Yen was spunky and a mood swinger.

Pulling on her blue, white-tipped shoes she ran after Fuu. Clad in a red, short-sleeved hoodie (it sporting white, bold letters 'STRUGGLE FACE-OFF' on the front, a 'SETZER IS #1' on the back, a little Struggle logo below it) and multi-pocket, black shorts.

"Wait!" Yen cried as she managed to braid her second twist, the rest of her hair dangled down her neck. The moisture shining.

"**ALARM.**"

"Yeah, yeah. Mum gave me the lecture already…" Yen said with a sigh, her current record was a total of thirty-five alarm clocks – all thirty-five ended up smashed, squashed, cracked, tampered, re-wired, hosed, split, etc. by the one and only Yen; sister of Fuu.

Fuu and Fool. That was their title at school and well known among the Twilight Town civilians.

"**ON TIME.**" Fuu said without emotion as they came up the street and with hands in pockets, Yen followed after her sister until they came to the entrance. It was here they went their separate ways.

The entrance enough was deeming those that would entered turmoil and daring them to go past. Though it looked nice on the outside, a nice, large brick wall lined the entire front of the perimeter with neighboring shops connected. Tulips of every color adorned the ground in rich, dark soil.

Towering over the opening was the glow-in-the-dark, bold white '_Twilight Town High School'_.

It was SO welcoming.

Just step inside ALREADY!

"**SAYONARA**." Fuu spoke as she strolled off away from Yen; she vanished around the wall. Yen already knew what awaited her and any student that entered.

See, Fuu hung out with this gang consisting of Seifer (the leader), Rai (the oaf – by Yen), Vivi (an enigma of sorts) and Fuu. They were part of the Discipline Committee, well; they were the only members.

It was something Seifer started when he moved to Twilight Town, he came from some placed called _Balamb Garden _and he was head there or something. Anyway, he came here and recruited the best fighters he saw fit to be his 'companions' and all four seemed to become superior to any of the other students.

"_Twilight Town's Discipline Committee? What a joke."_ Yen first said when Seifer announced it to the town. The adults were happy, saying they had 'someone looking out for their kids when they weren't aware of their activities', and the kids…well, they ended up becoming friends with old bullies to make room for Seifer and his loyal _posse_ Fuu, Rai and Vivi.

"You! Yeah you! New?" That was big bad Seifer in the flesh, staring down a new kid by the sound of it. As Yen entered she found the scene a repeat of her own.

At a time, Fuu and Yen were home-schooled. Then around the time Fuu joined forces with Seifer, Rai and Vivi did their mom let them go to Twilight High.

"Uh-huh." The new girl replied meekly, peering around for help, she was obviously new and by first glance she was in trouble.

"Hitting on new girls now Seifer?" Yen piped up, not allowing this show to go further.

Picking up on her presence, Seifer sneered as he peered at Fuu's twin. Fuu herself was oblivious to the events and found herself interested in a pebble on the ground. Rai had his hands on his hips, peering down at Yen with his intimidating muscles.

"Sweet, I get to strike out two birds with one stone." Seifer said, seeming to be content with another victim. However, Yen had always been as much as of a victim since her first day at TTH. Seifer instantly became school bully of the year; there were no runner-ups. Students were _terrified_ of Seifer Almasy.

"Back off Seifer, go and pick on someone of your own size, you know, six footers?" Yen said, shrugging off the street talk tone. Seifer waved his hand with a shake of his head.

"I'll pass, seeing as no _six footers_ are willing to take me on. Though, I doubt even your lame excuse of a group of friends is as satisfying as a punching bag all together." Seifer tore out with a smirk as Yen reddened.

"You have no room to talk, seeing as people _let _you punch them around." Yen growled, trying to keep her calm posture, she wasn't all for a poker face, instead, she worked her feet towards the frightened and confused girl and helped her to her feet.

She had elbow-length brown hair and pure hazel orbs, she wasn't very used to being pushed around it seemed.

"Don't worry about big mouth here, as far as I'm concerned, being in the company of the Big Bad Wolf seems more alluring." Yen spoke as she strolled up to the stairs of the school with the girl in tow. Seifer sneering behind her.

The girl giggled in response.

"I'm sorry for the trouble." The girl said as she blinked and grew sad. Yen waved it off as she opened a door and motioned for her to enter first.

"No prob. Name's Yen by the way, you?"

"Oh, sorry, my name is Serenity Wheeler." The girl said as the door closed behind them.

Inside was very different on the inside than it was on the outside. Inside it was firmly clean with an office on each side; one called the 'Main Office' and the other the 'Nurse's Office'. The floor was tiled in hues of peachy-tan and white, the walls a solid, slick tawny cement blocks and the ceiling a dull gray. Trohpies, medals and ribbons were numerous (mostly from the Struggle team) and decorated the walls.

"Wow…" Serenity's eyes seemed to say, Yen didn't give the building much of a second look.

"You're a freshman right?" Yen asked curiously, Serenity gave a nod.

"_Parfait,_" Yen mumbled under her breath; sarcastically. Serenity peered at her. "I can't keep an eye on you, all well, I'm sure you'll make good friends. Do you have your schedule?"

"It was mailed in yesterday." Serenity said, shuffling through her stuff in her side-bag, pulling out a neatly folded piece of paper. Yen grasped it and unfolded it, her eyes scanning the sheet.

"Ah…Thornton all right, you learn something. Potter, not bad…ooh! You have Waternauk! Have fun with her! Note the sarcasm Serenity. Tys a bit hard, be careful with him…hm…" Then she heard Serenity giggle.

"Eh? What is it?" Serenity shook her head, struggling to keep her laughter down. Yen gave a frown, something didn't feel right…

"BOO!" A shrill scream escaped Yen's lips as two strong hands grabbed her shoulders, keeping her from jumping out of her skin. However, even with the frantic fuzziness in her mind, she still knew very well who was behind her.

"HAYNER!" Yen growled as she turned around sharply, knocking off the blonde's hands. He laughed as he dodged a playful punch. His hazel eyes twinkling.

"Sorry Yen, I tried to tell him off." A girl with a deep, rich shade of chocolate brown hair that rang out at the end. Her eyes an intelligent and lush emerald.

"But it WAS funny!" another boy with floppy brown spikes held over a bandanna. His sienna orbs laughing merrily.

"I was ONLY making faces behind your back Yen-chan!" Hayner cried with a laugh. Yen pouted.

"What did I say about that?" Yen asked, pointing a finger at the blonde.

"Huh? About what?" the boy named Hayner asked innocently. Her frown deepened.

"About calling me '-chan'." Yen stated, Hayner looked up in false pondering.

"Ah…that…I'm afraid I don't recall that talk? THE TALK I _do_ remember-"

"Don't go there Haynerd!" Yen said with a smirk.

"Hey! I'm no nerd!"

She stuck her tongue out at him.

"Why you!" The girl grabbed the back of Hayner's clothes before he could rush after Yen; she sighed when he settled down with a slight pout.

"Sorry about that, they're sophomores, but will always be first graders at heart." The girl said, turning to Serenity. Who had been laughing at Yen and Hayner's antics.

"Hey!" Yen and Hayner cried in revolt.

"I'm Olette, are you new?" Serenity nodded with a nervous smile.

"No worries, everyone's new at some point in their lives. But you're lucky, we're you're friends. I'm Pence." The other boy said with a reassuring grin.

"Thank you. My name is Serenity. Serenity Wheeler." Serenity replied, feeling better.

"That there nerdboy's Hayner. Don't let him get to you or you might find yourself holding a Struggle bat." Yen said, jabbing her thumb in Hayner's direction.

"Don't make me bite that off-"

"Now he's a cannibal. You are no longer welcome to our lunch table." Yen continued with a smile, Hayner put his hands on his hips.

"Really? And here I have a brown bag full of blueberry muffins." Hayner said, winking at Serenity. Yen noticed and scowled.

"Blueberry muffins you say?" she asked, Hayner gave a nod.

"I hate you." She growled.

"I hate you too." Hayner replied with a happy grin. Olette shook her head and Pence chuckled.

The warning bell sounded.

"C'mon, let's help you to our locker and don't worry about tardiness. The principal knows us on a first-name basis!" Hayner said with a flash of a smile in Serenity's direction.

Sometime after finding Serenity's locker and leading her to her first class did the group go their separate ways. Only Yen made it to class a minute late.

"Yen, _te es-_" the teacher began in her thick French accent.

"_Si, si._" Yen replied as she sat down, giving no second glance to her teacher who already started fuming.

_She aces every test, completes her homework perfectly, it's like she already knows the language! So why is she even here?_ The teacher thought angrily as she adjusted her glasses and began giving out instructions.

Yen wasn't even paying the least bit of attention and didn't even notice as the volume went down considerably. In fact, out of boredom did she look back at the teacher. Her head resting on her hand, where her elbow was supported by her smooth desk's surface.

_Strange._ Everyone had stopped talking; in fact, the teacher's mouth was frozen in mid-sentence. Her wrinkles and brows unmoving. Her deft hands motionless.

For a minute Yen didn't do anything. Than she straightened in her seat and frowned, she leaned forward and inspected the classroom around her. There was a few people holding their textbooks open some frozen in place as they attempted to turn a page, others simply began reading, but their eyes weren't moving.

_Had time…stopped? But why…am I still…well, timeful?_ Whether that was a word or not didn't really effect Yen as she tried to figure out a logical reason for this.

"I could be dreaming, I probably haven't gotten up yet and Serenity probably really doesn't exist, Hayner probably didn't scare me this morning and I probably didn't wake up late, and…" something caught her eye.

She sat still in her seat, straining to hear or see anything more out of the ordinary.

"What's going on?" It was like a speck of black out of nowhere appeared and evaporated from the doorframe. When she went to stand up to peer around said doorframe; she suddenly heard light footsteps.

"Well now, not too fancy, not too boring, though it still needs a bit of style." Someone walked into the room. Someone she hadn't seen before, but felt she knew. His hair was spiked back with brightest shade of red she had ever seen. His eyes gleamed a lighter shade of green than Olette's, but seemed to hold more…manipulative power. His form was thin, it made Yen wonder if he was anorexic. His strides were elegant and his gestures understood.

But when he turned his head towards her, his height came down on her and something about his triangular tattoos beneath his eyes struck a cord in Yen.

"Excuse me? What-wait, who are you?" The question _'Who do you work for?'_ came to mind when her eyes scanned his dark attire. A black cloak. She was sure she had seen it somewhere, but where?

"Who I _was_ you mean?" the man replied, his eyes sparkling with mischief. Yen raised a brow.

"No, who are _you?_" she repeated, was this guy retarded? No, she felt he was much smarter than he's letting on. He folded his arms and placed his weight in one foot.

"I see you fixed your arms," he said, his eyes settling on her upper limbs. She gave him a look that said 'is there something wrong with you?' He chuckled at the thought. "It's been what? A month? And that's how you greet me? After all of _that_ we shared?"

_He's messing with my mind? And what does he mean by 'all of that we shared' crap? Is he some sort of pervert? _Unwanted images soared through her mind but for some reason she could care less.

"You know what, I figured I don't care. And I also believe you're the one who is causing all of this." She stated, waving her hands, speaking for her mute classmates and teacher. The man put a hand to his chin.

"Yes, no, maybe so. I'm not telling. Though, you did leave Roxas in quite a mess back there, I'm surprised not a hint of shame is in your eyes. But…then again. Nobodies don't really feel now do they?" The man was ravenous mad! That was it!

Yen could hear her heart beating, she didn't know self-defense and at this point in time, it might've been a good idea to have taken lessons when she was younger. It was Fuu that could karate chop a log in half with her head, not Yen.

"Nobodies? Roxas? What the hell are you ranting on about man?" She stood up suddenly, her hands down on her desk, her eyes narrowing down on the six-foot man clad in black. "I don't know you! I don't know this Roxas! And I certainly don't know any nobodies! Unless, you're going on about Seifer, there I would have to agree but that's not the point!"

"Whoa, you still have some of your old spark. But you seem much more subtle, maybe it's because our first meeting wasn't all that subtle itself." The man went on, as if she hadn't said anything.

"Did you not hear me?"

"Oh, sorry did you say anything?" Yen would have spat but she wasn't outside, but instead she sighed.

"Just get out. Why deal with something not worth my time." Yen growled under her breath, straightening up and folding her arms. Glaring accusingly at that redhead. He looked a tad bit taken back.

"Not so harsh now, it was easier getting along with Larxene…" he began talking to himself. Yen stifled a growl. He was IGNORING her again.

"I want you to be good all right Cherry-chan. I need to leave for a bit." The man had somehow gotten right in front of her and began patting her head. However instead of snapping at him, she felt a sense of security with what he said.

Though 'Cherry-chan' irked her, she couldn't help but feel that he had been closer. But she couldn't work up the guilt to feel bad for not knowing his name, or remembering anything with him. And where did he get this nickname 'Cherry-chan?'

Her name was Yen.

When she peered back to ask questions after he removed his hand from her head, she discovered he was gone and in a flash, everything was back to normal.

"Yen! Sit!" the teacher's voice rang out; everyone snickered as Yen started.

"Uh…sure…" Yen said as she left the teacher and the students time to ponder when she got up in the first place. The telephone ringing in the back of the classroom didn't bother her as she tried to recall the guy from somewhere.

_Red hair, triangle tattoos, black cloak, bright green eyes, red hair, triangle tattoos, black cloak-_

"It seems we're going to have an addition to our class this morning students. He'll be here in a few." The teacher said as she sat at her desk, letting the students chat among themselves.

"Fool sure is acting strange today, by now she would have thrown a paper ball at Ms. Signe." A student said to his neighbor.

"Yeah, and when did she stand up, I didn't hear her chair…"

Yen was oblivious to all of this until she heard the door click and open. Ms Signe looked up and greeted the newcomer with a smile as he walked in.

And at that moment, Yen had never felt so empty and confused. Was this blonde boy standing in front of her, with nervous azure eyes and a blank look. His hair a darker shade of blonde than Hayner's, but shorter and spikier. He wore light clothes and a casual air of acceptance surrounded him.

Immediately the girls began to swoon.

"Let us welcome Roxas to our school now students."

Yen suddenly felt sick.

* * *

**A/N:**

_Howdy doo people! In case anyone is wondering, I'm going to start off with introducing Roxas. Whether he lived in Twilight Town his whole or part of his 'life' is unannounced so I can do this. So no one get aggravated! Also, since in KHII it is said that Sora was asleep for a year along with Donald and Goofy. So I'm going to base my first several chapters based on Yen, Axel, Roxas, etc etc etc and sum it up to a year and in the end, we're going to get some more action in. All right, that's straightened out. And I'm trying to think of a better title, anyone have any ideas? Since this isn't really a KHIII...I'll think up something._

_Aspen_


	6. Jeopardy at Sunset: Part I

**..:Part V:..**

**..: Jeopardy at Sunset Part I:..**

**Yen's POV**

You know that feeling when you feel like you're being watched? Like in that horrid movie _Saw_? Where that evil man stared out of the little girl's closet and pounced on her? If you've never seen the movie then, be grateful. It scared the _shi_-whoops! Sorry, trying to cut down on my swearing.

But yeah, that kind of watching. Except _you're_ the one DOING the watching and the person YOU are _watching_ suddenly makes you feel lost inside. Well, if you've never experienced this before, let me tell you it's something you never want to experience.

Yeah…since I'm kind of sitting here probably with a dumb expression that's probably saying 'you could blow up the world around me and I wouldn't notice' sort of thing. At least the boy named Roxas hadn't noticed. Instead, he looked really laid-back.

"Why don't you tell us some things about yourself Roxas?" Ms. Signe asked as she gathered up some papers. Roxas didn't even flinch but kept a calm head even though some thirty students were staring at him – including me.

However, I wasn't staring in the way some of the infatuated girls were behind me. It was REALLY annoying…this Roxas dude wasn't all that interesting, he gave off a mysterious vibe I'll admit, but nothing really to look into. Though, he did appear to be someone you could trust. Yet he had a hint of competitive spirit behind those oceanic orbs of his…

Yep, he'll be Hayner's best friend by the end of the school day.

"Hey, my name's Roxas as you already know." He finally spoke as he looked around jerkily. Now he was beginning to get shifty, maybe I should be nice…

"Yo." I greeted, holding up a hand in a short greeting before it fell back down on my desk. Hey, I tried to be nice. If I said anything else my stomach would give.

At least he appeared calmer a second after. Good, now I can concentrate fully on not spilling my contents. Why does your innards decide to hurt at the worst of times? It's like when a girl dreads THE START and forgets to wear something for it.

The new boy's voice that went through one ear and out the other didn't help suppress my sudden sickness.

"Well now, Roxas, you can sit besides Yen right there. Who knows, you might do her some good." Ms. Signe whispered the last part to where no one heard it but I had an idea of what she said.

_Dammit! Of all places! _I mentally growled as Roxas took a seat next to me. He didn't look in my direction, which is good, it means I haven't attracted attention yet. It would've helped if I had a mirror, to help me figure out if I was getting paler or redder. Maybe I could use this to my advantage, a freeway ticket to the nurse's office and I can ditch the rest of the day!

But…Roxas confuses me. And if it weren't for that skunk lesson I learned when I was five, I would've taken that chance. What's that skunk lesson you might ask? Well, it was when I was five. I thought this skunk was a black and white squirrel (hey, skunks aren't native to Twilight Town…or are they?) and I chased after it when I was…yeah, five and it sprayed me. I was too embarrassed to return home so I kind of stayed out in the woods since I was sort of smelly. Aaaaaannnyway, I was SO embarrassed I stayed out in the woods for days on end trying to get the stink out in the streams and stuff. But instead, after four days of feeding off of berries and such, I was finally caught in this trap and flung into the air by my ankle. Oh, it was a sight to behold when Fuu finally found me…

* * *

"_AAARRGGHHH!" I cried as I waved like a loose appendage by my foot in midair, the rope was thick and twined around my ankle. My clothes still reeked of skunk pew and I was starving! _

"_**IDIOT.**" I could've cried, only one person that I've known would use one to three words at time, my sister!_

"_Oh bless you dearly beloved sister of mine!" I shouted as he craned my neck back to spot Fuu, five feet below me staring up at me. We are perfectly identical, short silver hair and crimson eyes. I made a habit out of copying her clothing day after day._

_I have no clue whether she likes it not though._

"_**FOUND.**" Fuu said, I grinned sheepishly. Then when I blinked, she started walking away._

"_WAIT! SIS! COME BACK! C'MON!" I cried as I swung in my dangled state._

"_**QUEIT.**" My mouth clamped shut as she came to a stop and walked around the tree that's branch held my here. Then with a small 'click' I fell from my position and landed hard on my back._

* * *

I was knocked out cold and woke up in a bathtub full of tomato juice. My mother over me wearing a gas mask and –

Whoa! Hold on, WAY OFF TOPIC! The point is, I learned never to run from my problems since they ALWAYS tend to get worst. As the saying goes, the skunk that sprays bites too!

Did that make any sense whatsoever?

Ah…tomato tamoto.

Roxas finally gave me the weird glance I most likely deserved.

"Have we met before?" he asked curiously as Ms. Signe resumed the lesson.

I would've said 'yeah', but that would be a lie. I've never seen him before, but he gives me the same feeling the other dude did, the redhead. He won't leave my head…now Roxas is going to tag along with this redhead and invade my mental space! I need to figure this crap out or it'll drive me crazy!

"No, I don't recall meeting you." I replied it was true after all; I've never seen him before even though I'm sure I have.

"Oh, must have been someone else than. Sorry." Roxas said as he propped his elbow up on the desk and leaned in his hand to try and focus on class. I sighed silently.

"Don't bother over it, name's Yen." I said, he looked back at me and grinned sheepishly.

"Yen huh? Would your twin sister happen to be Yang?" he asked, obviously trying to be a smartalec. I didn't catch that though, instead my eyes kind of went wide.

"Hey, how'd you know I had a twin?" I asked, he blinked, Ms. Signe looked in our direction and scowled.

"Detention after school Yen!" Ms. Signe shouted as she wrote on the board behind her. Students didn't bother snickering, this wasn't the first and certainly not the last. However, Roxas looked upset.

"Tha-" Roxas began but I cut him off.

"_Don't bother over it!_" I repeated, my red eyes flashing, he peered at them with interest.

"Nice eyes," he complimented, I blinked, no one had called our eyes (as in Fuu and I) nice, sure creepy and weird, but nice? This kid wasn't so bad after all. I'll introduce him to the gang at lunch; it was a done deal.

"Thanks, but I'm curious, why are you in French?" I asked, he shrugged.

"I didn't want a study hall." He replied with a bored look.

"I would rather have that, but my counselor was going about me _getting involved_. But I already know French; I'm bilingual. But there are only two language suggestions in this school system, since we're so 'limited'. But since a few of my so-called _friends_ as she puts it, were in the other language class so she placed me in this hellhole." I explained, Roxas chuckled. He had a nice voice, I'll admit it, it had a musical hue to it.

It's like it came from a singer or something. (**A/N: **XD couldn't be helped)

The rest of the class went on as usual and afterwards Roxas and I went our separate ways as we had two different second blocks.

It wasn't till lunch things got down to business real fast-like.

As soon as I entered the vast cafeteria I miraculously spotted Roxas a mile away, maybe it was the horde of fan girls already forming at his feet that gave him away.

He looked up to see me with a greatly relieved expression with his food tray in his hands. The girls practically bore holes in my head as he made way in my direction. I was a smart cookie, I BAGGED my lunch. No waiting in line for me!

"Um…can I sit with you?" Roxas asked, I smiled slyly.

"Certainly not alone Roxas-kun, I have a circle of friends you know." I replied, he flushed a light pink and looked away, but I immediately made up for it. "But you can become a part of it y'know?" His head bounced up, but now with happy buoyancy.

"That reminds me of someone…you remind me of TWO people in fact! When I came to school this morning, there were these people at the entrance-" he said with an angering tone. I already knew where this was going.

"That was Seifer's gang, the all-mighty Discipline Committee. Don't ask, you don't want to know." I answered as I led him through the maze of round tables. We all had our own tables; it was a thing every school had no matter how big or small. We had an 'inside' table, so we knew where the action circulated and stuff and didn't miss out on juicy rumors.

It was all for laughs and the making for good memories.

"The big guy is Raijin, Rai for short or for me, it's Musclehead." I said, Roxas smiled.

"Suits him well," he agreed.

"The albino girl is my twin sister I told you about, Fujin or Fuu. Mostly Fuu though, the tiny guy with the hat with a mouth is Vivi. He's cute, when I first saw him I thought he was a walking stuffed animal until I picked him up."

"And the guy with a scar over his nose?" Roxas asked, apparently Seifer didn't let him go without some difficulty.

"That would be the great leader Seifer Almasy, be careful, he's strong and his head is heavy 'cuz his overweight ego." I said, it was then that I spotted our table. Where Hayner, as well spotted us and started waving. It ceased when he noticed Roxas beside me.

I led him over where Hayner stared at the new boy suspiciously.

"Hey guys, this is Roxas. He's new." I said, trying to sound like there was nothing to worry about. Seeing as Hayner has always been like this, whenever a new person came to our table, he always went into 'investigation' mode.

"Hm, where are you from?" Hayner asked, I sighed.

"Hayner! Don't be so fussy! It's not like he's Seifer's brother." Olette pointed out, than cast Roxas a worried stare. "Are you?"

"_Olette._" _Olette, Olette, Olette, I worry about you sometimes._ I thought as Roxas gave a negative. That seemed to lighten the burden that made Hayner's shoulders sag.

"Well, that says something what about-"

"Move it chicken wuss!" It was Seifer, who shoved Roxas so hard he crashed into our table and his face went flying into his food tray. Wow, blow to the ego. Another tally to the notebook, yeah, I keep a notebook for tallying Seifer and his gang's bullying. Something I can display at the next Twilight Town meeting.

If it were one only that existed!

Ah well, there's the daily paper.

"Hey! Watch it Scarface!" Hayner shouted as he stood up despite Olette's protests and shaked a fist in Seifer's direction, Seifer looked back, only to smirk before resuming his 'I'm superior' walk. Fuu, Rai and Vivi straggling along behind him. Students edged away deeper into their lunches and conversations nearly vanished as he passed, his cape-like coat billowing.

Roxas scowled as he wiped mashed patatoes from his chin. This year was going to be interesting.

* * *

It turns out, my hypothesis was correct. It had been four weeks since Roxas and Serenity came to our school. In those past weeks however, Roxas and Hayner became closer than brothers did and more tallies have been added to the notebook. Also that redheaded guy hadn't been around since. I wonder if this would be a good time to get paranoid, especially now that I'm hearing about these weird rumors…

I think Pence might have noticed them too, he was the one into the supernatural stuff, so when I questioned him about a rumor I heard, something about a ball flying out of an alleyway thrown by nobody, a glint of mystery flickered in his eyes. He was the right one to go to yep.

"What do you think?" I asked as we walked down the hall, both of us carrying a couple of textbooks and notebooks. We had geometry together after all. Good thing too, he's a math wiz. Olette's good, but even better at science. Hayner's a P.E. champ (Seifer doesn't take gym, he takes strength training) and Roxas, well, he's fighting for first in P.E.

"I think it's something worth looking into, but now is not the time, I don't have ANY time on my hands, it's so frustrating!" Pence cried with aggravation as he made a stop at a bronze locker.

"Yeah…see you after school then." I said, he looked back at me with a shocked expression.

"Can you tell everyone I'm sorry for me, I won't be able to make it. I have to go to-"

"Academic team." I finished for him, Pence was one of their members and a great one at that. I sometimes wished I was a genius like him, most on days I receive failing grades on biology tests.

"Yeah, sorry." Pence said, his face sad.

"No prob, I'll tell the guys-" It was then Olette came jogging up, in her Tennis uniform, a light bronze with a white logo 'TT' on her left breast, an African wild dog leaping out of it.

Yeah, we're the mighty Twilight Town Wild Dogs!

"Hey Yen! Pence," Olette greeted, her face rosy red, probably from running down several hallways to this very spot, yes, our school is HUGE.

"Oh, right…you have tennis. I completely forgot about that." I thought aloud, today was Wednesday, a very busy day. Well, in the sports and club department. I'm connected to none, unlike my friends. Pence is part of the Academic team during the fall and Science & Biology club during the spring. Olette was a tennis player only during the fall and-

"Hayner's taking Roxas down to the sandlot today to introduce him to struggling, he wants to see if Roxas can join too." Olette said with a bright smile.

-Hayner was a member of the Struggle team; Roxas is more than likely to join him in a number of hours.

"Sorry Yen, looks like you're going home alone today. No hard feelings right?" Pence brought up; Olette appeared scandalized as she peered from Pence to me.

"I'm so sorry Yen! I could skip today's practice-" Olette attempted to reason out of something totally unreasonable.

"No worries Olette, I'm fine. I just forgot that everyone was busy since school's still a bit new and all." I said, Olette and Pence's eyes lowered to the ground. "Besides, I'll meet up with Fuu on the way back home." I lied through and through, but I hate seeing my friends and family so depressed. It made me depressed in return.

"Well, if you're sure…" Pence mumbled, I nodded fiercely.

"You guys better hurry if you want to make it to your clubs, tennis whatever. I need to hurry too, I have tons of homework." I said, lying again. I only had a few pages of geometry homework; I aced my French homework in five minutes flat in class. Nothing hard, seeing as I knew the language somehow anyway. In the process, I even helped Roxas out a bit.

"All right, but don't make us feel guilty later!" Pence warned.

After a couple of good-byes I made my way down the hall and out the front lawns and through the gate alone. I was in no mood to do homework, I much rather fight a terrifying, **heartless** _beast_ then DO homework.

Actually, I tend to zone out, a big error in my mental make-up, and proof of that when I finally came back down to Twilight Town (ooh, rhyme!) and found that my feet took me to the Tram Common, quite aways from my actual home.

"Stupid feet," I murmured to myself, looking down at my innocently clad-in-shoes feet. If they weren't so dirty I would probably find them innocent, and maybe if I painted the black and red stripes pink and yellow which will never happen-

Then I was pounced on and flown back on my rear-end.

"Whoa! Hello floor, meet my ass." I said sarcastically as my back hit the ground soon afterwards, as I attempted to sit up a moment later, I felt some kind of weight keep me down. It was then a floppy hat caught my attention.

"_Vivi?_" As in Seifer's lackey of sorts? Waterboy? Ugh…headache!

"Yen! _He's trying to get me!_" If I could see the cute lil' guy's face it would probably be streaming with tears as he grabbed my collar and shook it violently.

"Wait-Vivi-WAIT! What are you going on about?" I shouted as I flung him onto my lap as I jerked up into a sitting position.

"_He's trying to get me!" _Vivi cried as he reached for me again.

"Who?" I asked, trying to get the little guy to calm down and dodge his flailing hands at the same time.

"_Him-_" Vivi didn't get to finish as he was swiped off my lap and taken hostage by some tall creep in a black cloak similar to the redhead's from weeks earlier. I hurried to my feet and still found the man taller than me by a foot! Though from this view, I saw that he had purple shade of hair, it gave him a sort of an emo look and his single visible eye was a dark blue color.

And the way he was staring at me…I didn't like one bit. Vivi sat struggling against his grip as the man clamped one of his hands over Vivi's unseen mouth.

"Let him go!" I yelled as I ran at him, he sidestepped me without a problem. Already the creep was ticking me off!

"…" Without a word the man stepped into a black portal that air possibly created itself and stepped through it, without thinking I launched for it, only for it to disappear and me landing face-first into the pavement.

"Ow…" I wiped at some of the blood emerging from my cheek, I do not think that was necessary.

_Who-wait, he took Vivi! Where did he go? _I turned around from where I leaped, the portal was gone, did he pass through dimensions or something? Is that even possible? Well, if that redhead managed to stop time, then portals couldn't be much of a problem…but where did the creep take Vivi?

Suddenly a small _BEEP_ sounded in my right ear and I whisked around for my nose to catch a piece of paper.

When I took it in my hands, I saw that it was a photo. A recently taken photo of the Sunset Residential District, an alleyway of some sort…that creep is making ME come to HIM! On the very day no one would be at the Sunset District or if any, a seldom few.

The stupid, but intelligent bas-

"_You have till sunset,"_ A voice with no body said as I instinctively peered up at the sky, there were three hours left till dusk. I wonder if Fuu has any munny on her…no, wait, that wouldn't work, they're probably looking for Vivi and she would ask me if I saw him and knowing her she would know I was lying and I know I can't lie with a straight face which she knows and-I'm just going to shut up now.

I looked around for a minute to see if anyone was around then I cried up at the sky-

"WHY IS THERE ALWAYS A FREAKIN' TIME LIMIT!"

* * *

I grudged up the numerous stairs and to the flat platform facing the ocean. I just barely scraped the amount of munny I needed for a ticket, Fuu refused to give me any forcing me to take a few fast jobs via mail delivery, I rock at that by the way.

Anyway, I had thirty minutes to get on the train and find the right alleyway the Creep (that's now his name until he gives me one or if his name shows no humor I will keep to the Creep) took Vivi.

And if you're wondering why I didn't fetch the others, well, one I had no time, and two, the eerie voice from before came again and told me to come alone.

* * *

As I sat there on the train, the seconds seemed to quicken their pace and my heart rate did the same, it was a fifteen-minute ride, the search for Vivi was going to have to be a fast one.

"Vivi!" I shouted as I ran through the streets of Sunset, I had already checked two alleyways in the past ten minutes, in five minutes who knows what'll happen, my imagination can scare even me at times, and it was soaring with the things that made it scary right now. Needless to say I really wanted to rescue Vivi now before any of those things came true!

"Vivi! Where are you, you CREEP!" I screamed as I passed another alleyway.

"Well, you made it." The voice I didn't recognize but the Creep holding Vivi and standing at the top of a building came to me faster than I could blink. I ran up and came to a halt and made the worst glare I could muster.

"Give me Vivi! He did _nothing_ to **YOU!** But I can't say the same for me after I get my hands on you!" The Creep gave a snide smirk, like he was top dog. Well at sea level maybe he was higher up, but the 'Superior' vibe radiating from him did little to me.

"There is no need for this absurd noise, do cooperate or you're friend might be forced to take a fall." The Creep lifted Vivi away from him and over the building in front of him, farthest from me, the git!

"What do you want?" I asked, a bit more calmly, the man's smirk vanished and he became emotional again.

"You're cooperation, I have a mission to complete." He said, I growled.

"Who are you? Who do you work for? And do you happen to know an equally annoying bastard with red hair and green eyes? He wears the same thing and it's starting to really irk me that they look familiar but I don't have a clue where I've seen them before!" I shouted, this was ten times worse than not understanding an algebra question.

"You've met Number 8?" _Won't the Superior enjoy hearing that? _The Creep thought as I continued to stare up at him. Number 8? These peoples' names were numbers? Must be a strict organization of sorts then.

"Hello? Are you going to answer any of those viscously asked questions in the SAME LANGUAGE? Number 8 rings no bells you creep!" Honestly, it doesn't. He gave me a dull look, like a kid looking at a pebble then getting all excited over a new red bike.

"I came not to answer your meaningless questions," he replied, I fumed.

"You think I give a damn? They're not meaningless to me you-" He feinted dropping Vivi, made my heart nearly zoom into a wall.

_Bastard!_ I thought, as he grew cocky again.

"I've been sent to reawaken Roxas' slumbering memory, I know you're counterpart was within terms of him before your _accident_. Therefore you might strike a cord," he said, what did he want with Roxas?

"I don't know anything about you (mostly because you aren't telling me squat) but I don't want you messing with my friends! Give me back Vivi and leave Roxas and everyone else out of this! Find out how to 'complete your mission' somewhere else and don't come back!" I cried, I should be captain of the Debate Team.

While I was going over my pride issues the Creep transported somehow to my level and as I looked up, I found that he was too close for comfort. Vivi stared at me with greatly depressed eyes.

He was probably having some major inner demon problems now, I always knew he wanted to be strong like Seifer, but…

"Don't worry Vivi, you'll be fine." I said, it didn't take a genius to see that he wasn't worried about himself.

"Touching," the Creep said as he remained motionless.

"Would you hurry and spill your guts, if I'm going to help you then I need info!" I growled, he eyed me closely.

"Are you accepting the mission?" he asked, I nodded. Whatever, I wasn't going to hurt Roxas, but I wasn't going to allow harm come to Vivi either.

"Just hurry, I made it here on time, so I think I deserve an explanation." He didn't seem ready to give me one.

"Fine, be that way." I launched a punch at his chest, he grasped my fist and pushed me backwards, I landed on my back again, but I got to my feet even faster and made for another target at his face. Then he dodged, and dodged, and dodged, and dodged some more until I stopped; panting.

"I hope I'm not interrupting…"


	7. Jeopardy at Sunset: Part II

**..::Part VI::..**

**..::Jeopardy at Sunset Part II::..**

It would be so easy just to snap his neck, I mean, seriously, all I would have to do was wrap my hands around his windpipe and crush it, easy, simple, no blood. Perfect. It would be better if I could torture him a bit; but then again, a quick death to the enemy would be better than standing here awaiting what might befall Vivi-

Hey, why am I so concerned over the little guy? Oh right, he's adorable and it might have something to do with being a pal of Yuu's…whatever.

"I hope I'm not interrupting…"

Oh yes, perfect timing Other Guy in Black, how charming of you to drop by with your lovely friend while I'm standing here scheming of a way to get even with the Creep and here you are-

Erm…

…

…

Who's the Other Guy in Black?

Oh…lovely.

I gazed at the Other Guy in Black, same clothing, taller and fuller form. I can hardly fight a scarecrow (sad, I know), let alone TWO full-grown men, poor Vivi, I wonder how he would take me for making a deliberate, quick escape at this moment.

I don't desire he'll take to me anymore than he has before if he somehow gets out of this situation.

I better get back to the program before they decide to bargain with me and I agree stupidly from not paying attention to the conversation.

"-your interference does well, and for that I'm thankful." The Other Guy in Black said with a slight nod. I was lost, I was confused, probably even more lost and confused than I stated, but I raised a brow anyway and gave a nod in return.

I hope that wasn't the stupid agreement thing I just ironically thought about.

With sudden remembrance of Vivi clasped in the hands of the villain, I turned to the Creep, where his gloved hand had reached for his hood. Without reluctance, the hand pushed the hood back, revealing an almost emo-ish look of ample, violet-blue hair covering his right eye, his left eye an emotionless indigo and skin paler than milk. Well, not that pale but close.

He looked very indifferent and the aura suddenly released didn't make me feel any better. It was like the hood had held back fearful energy I had rather not have felt before.

Fortunately, the Creep wasn't looking at me, but at the Other Guy in Black.

"You are trying to fuse his heart and nobody together aren't you?" the Creep asked his tone cold and devoid of all feeling. I felt a shiver run down my back. Of course the strange people pick up on Vivi and force me to Sunset; needless to say I've had better beginning of terms than this.

But now I have to wonder…what was with _fuse his heart_ _and nobody together_ here? Am I connected with some sort of paradox? Lovely.

My eyes traveled hesitantly towards the Other Guy in Black, shocked to find that he was already looking at me, I jumped. That sure was creepy, aren't you at least suppose to feel eyes crawling around on your skin or something?

Yet before I could voice anything, the Other Guy in Black gave a sad shake of his head and vanished in a portal of shadows. Now the distraction was gone, at least he stalled what…? Three minutes?

"Eh?" Something landed on my foot and when I moved it, something _tapped_ the ground. I looked down at it, a card?

_No…an ID card by the looks of it…_ I picked it up and scanned it, a picture of someone, but I only had a quick blur placed into my head until the Creep registered back into my mind's caverns.

I slip the card into my side pocket and glowered up at the Creep.

The Creep gave me a smirk, a damn smirk that gave me the good kind of goosebumps. If he weren't so creepy and dark thinking, I would have preferred him my type. That is, if he hadn't gone around kidnapping cute little Final Fantasy guys and making me work to get munny for a train to Sunset.

My mind was like a savage train at that moment, just leaving the station with a couple of loads. These loads were not coal however or any other energy supply or passengers. They were questions, space that represented wanted answers, and to me, my questions were a pile.

What was going on? Who are these guys in black? Are they good? Or bad? What're their names? What will happen to me? What about Vivi? Where's freaken' help when you need it?

As my thoughts soared all over the place, I eventually locked eye contact with the Creep. His eyes bore into mine, placing blockage before my thoughts, forcing the train to screech to a violent halt. Stopping but a second before it.

In literal terms that _thought train_ would've crashed. Fortunately, it was only a _thought train._

We were so far apart physically, but what I found weird was that I could see his every eye detail practically perfectly, was it the same for him? What if he was a mind reader? Or a spellcaster? Those guys were myths, but with how this guy's appearing and disappearing from one place to another, my beliefs are turning their backs on me.

For cold, emotionless eyes, they weren't that bad…but they lacked…**life.** _**Feeling. **Warmth._

I felt terribly lost. Like when your in a mall and you suddenly lose sight of yours friends and your heart starts pounding, except this guy gave me the feeling of being lost in myself. What was wrong with me? I was fine, a perfectly average (not perfectly, but whatever) teenager trying to throw the bully off friends and so and so and passing grades.

Why did this freak have to come and spoil that, but I suppose the question is, will it get **worse?**

I caught myself from falling mentally as the Creep blinked, you know, I would prefer a name.

"Zexion. Organization XIII. Axel." The Creep said with a blank expression. I raised a brow, now what was he talking about? Don't tell me my enemy has gone into denial that just makes everything worse!

He must've noticed my baffle-ness (it's a word because I say so) because he sighed slightly and with amusement, he replied-

"You asked who I was, who I worked for, and who you were in question about." He explained, all right, it dawned on me slowly, his name was Zexion. Good start, he works for Organization XIII, hell knows what kind of order that is. Then what was my other question…oh right, something about that redhead. Axel. Now I was sure I heard that name, but then again, I don't know his name.

"I'm making as much sense as an infant now." I muttered as I scratched the back of my head. I don't think I said it loud enough, but the action that followed did surprise me.

"Here." I looked up in time to not only hear a shriek, but also with Vivi's growing form falling towards me, I just about didn't catch him. Unfortunately, when I did, the momentum shoved me roughly back with Vivi in my arms. As I prepared to feel a concussion coming on, I felt not pavement or stone, but the body of someone else.

I couldn't really hear, seeing as Vivi was attempting to muffle his sobs into my school uniform, but I don't think the being that caught me was saying anything anyway.

"Yen! I'm sorry Yen! Huh-S-Seifer?!" Vivi cried, that made me start, oh gawd forbid. Seifer is not the one behind; he is NOT the one who CAUGHT me.

He was, I realized as I timidly looked up, his expression was perplexed at first, than his smirked his _evil smirk_ that all but said, _"I'm never letting you live this down."_

"Hey, you all right?" he asked, straining to keep his snickering down and hold a calm, superior smirk on his lips. He slowly straightened me up, swallowing every second of anguish I contained from being found in such a state by the Twilight Town bully.

I kept Vivi snuggled in my arms, not that he was going anywhere anyway, but he was just as shocked as I was, peering over at Seifer from his terrified position.

"How long have you been here?" I asked calmly, gaining back my lenient nature. Not a lot of people can stay calm when their forced to go after a kidnapper. Seifer snarled, despite what he makes Vivi do (the group's chores basically), Vivi was still a part of his gang, therefore a member and I think Seifer still takes to him as much as he takes to Fuu and Rai.

It's a natural instinct even for humans, you mess with part of the pack, the rest of the pack gets included too. That's a scary thing, when you think about it. So therefore, Zexion must've been incredibly stupid to pick on someone of Seifer's group, or was ignorant and had no idea who Seifer even was or scarily enough that I believe it, knew more about fighting and knew was purely more skilled than Seifer enough not to care whether Seifer, Fuu and Rai would go after him with Vivi in his possession.

The latter was more plausible, that guy did not look like a dunce at all. His form in itself boomed of clear intelligence and further misunderstanding.

"Not long, just arrived two minutes ago, sometime before Vivi came crashing down on you. Maybe it was because of me that you got him back." Seifer explained, looking thoughtful and seemed to be scheming in his own right, with his posture straighter and one hand on his hip.

_This is new,_ who knew Seifer could think reasonably. I certainly did not know that.

A clear violent act brought my thoughts back down to Twilight Town as Seifer punched his left palm with his right fist.

"That guy better not turn up again, if he does, tell me got it?" Here came the street talk tone again, and here I was beginning to a margin of his good side.

"I'll do that, after I get my hands on him myself." I replied, if anyone was going to put Zexion's head on a plate it was going to be me, Seifer could do whatever he wanted with the rest of him – ooh! Bad images!

"Really? What are you going to do? Talk him to death?" Seifer asked, his 'humor' returning to the arrogant bully he was, I huffed. A nice civil conversation would've been good right about now. Things have to hurry and move on I suppose.

"For your information, er…actually, I don't have a clue what I would've done." I admitted sourly, I knew, and due to unfortunate causes, Seifer knew I couldn't fight squat. Most of Twilight Town knew that, I was good for communicating, I was compatible with just about anyone. Unless they were ticking me or my friends off. Maybe it depends of my mood.

"C'mon Vivi," Yeah, Seifer cared for Vivi, I thought as Vivi reluctantly left the security of my arms and trailed after Seifer with his hat bobbing up and down, I wonder why it even had a mouth…

"Thank you," I said, I had to say something, even though I despised it, if he hadn't shown up Vivi would've been done for. But than again, if what I thought before was true and Zexion was better than Seifer, why did he flee when he came upon the scene?

I could hear Seifer give a snarl before stopping and turning around.

"C'mon, after what happened I can't leave you here by yourself." He said through his teeth, for a moment I stood there, then smiled. For a bully, he wasn't that bad.

I hurried after him.

Nearly twenty five minutes later I found myself in my room, Seifer and Vivi left me after we left Station Heights, I'm sure he had enough of me for a week or a month. But if I didn't know better, the story about how Seifer was there to save the vulnerable Fool and helpless Vivi from a criminal in black would be on the front page tomorrow.

I sighed as I went through the door, very happy that my mother was sound asleep on the couch (probably fell asleep waiting for me, oh the joy tomorrow morning will bring). I walked up the white stairs, ever since I was young I hated the color, it gave me a feeling of dismal dreariness, black gave me familiarity; security. I felt better in the dark; it was there to hide me when I didn't want to be seen, when light just gave me unwanted attention that was sure to come tomorrow.

As I made my way to my room, I saw Fuu's door locked; she hadn't gotten home yet either. But that was normal, she and Rai were probably waiting for Seifer's return and were possibly both wondering where their waterboy had gone to.

I came to my door, the last one on the right. I turned the bronze knob and stepped into my room, unlike the rest of my day, it was normal. It was a mess, like how my mind was. _In turmoil._

I stepped over a few clean clothes still partly folded, and made my way to a clean canvas. I set it up and grabbed a charcoal pencil and without much of a thought, despite the wariness of my tired eyes. I began to sketch.

Sketch until I could make out what I was sketching. My point of interest was Zexion, the dark character and Vivi kidnapper. I'm sure I didn't get his hair all the way right, but his eyes were what captivated me. I spent most of the evening putting detail to his indigo irises, three hours later, he was colored, the background a misty gray.

My signature on the bottom, right-hand corner, I stood up and walked away from it, peering at it from a further view.

If he were closer, he would've been easier to remember, but all I got was the black cloak and his head.

It was better than _nothing._

Then I realized, I was still motivated, and not by my unmade bed a little way from me. But when Zexion gave me Axel's name, it still tingled and tinkered with my head. His eyes, a manipulative emerald. They wouldn't leave her thoughts, but she couldn't draw him.

It wouldn't be **right.**

He was someone she barely knew but knew. As the man named Zexion was new to her, but Axel, she was unsure of.

She then vowed, his portrait would come when she knew more about him and talked to him face-to-face. She _wanted_ and **needed** answers. School and drawing seemed minimal to him, she was _curious about him._ She was laid-back enough not to usually care, but here, when it came to _him_, it was an unwritten prophecy.

She was, in western terms, **_smitten with him_**.

Somewhere in the depths of her soul, something told her she _loved_ the man named Axel.

But how come she didn't feel it from her heart?

_...she didn't feel it from her heart..._

* * *

**A/N:**

_All right, the reveiws are being VERY critical, mostly because of Angell Douche, I'm going to redo his name in the fic and turn him into Angell Eleven. Therefore, Chenry's mentor is now known as Angell Eleven. Now, I was suppose to say something else, but I can't think of it...oh, right! You wanna know why it's eleven? Well, I've had a stroke of genius, though if anyone guesses what it represents whether it's right or wrong, me no telly. Anyway, I'm re-editing now._

_Also, I have a nice set of plans for about twenty more chappys later. And as most of you figured out, Yen is related to Chenry and if you haven't figured it out, well, I'm not going any further since it's rather obvious. But my story outline had been written all the way to when she starts going out to other worlds and Robin Hood and a few other characters will be joining her._

_Then here comes the exciting part, holidays and a few anime characters will be joining this fic! YAY! As well as the beginning of crisises that tie to this one. I'm loving how this is going out since all the reveiwers seem to be touchy about is Angell. So, I'm not that worried._

_I don't remember if I posted this before but, since Chenry wasn't awake in the first chapter when Axel confronted Mov, she doesn't know that Org. XIII knows she can't die till she passes on the Secret. I was reading and saw that it might be confusing so I'm being nice and pointed that out._

_And no, I don't know French, I'm just using a translator, I'm only learning Spanish, so any errors, that's why.  
_

_Gracias! _

_And because of the prepared story outline, I can give an idea of what's going to be in the next chap -_

It's a little late, but here's what I have to say, **Halloween** sure is a blast in Twilight Town, seeing as our well-loved characters are making sure of that!

_Aspen_


	8. Nearly Peaceful Evening

**..::Part VII::..**

**..::Nearly Peaceful Evening::..**

Since the incident in Sunset, I haven't been getting that much attention from that order called Organization XIII. Which I'm entirely thankful, but if they were waiting for Hallow's Eve to come around and scare me then with their nonsense, they have another thing coming.

It was a week before Halloween here in Twilight Town. I loved this holiday for several reasons.

**1. Free candy**

**2. Costume originality**

**3. You can scare people without feeling bad**

**4. Things get more interesting**

**5. Parents avoid us because of our havoc**

**6. Teachers fall for the stomach ache excuse**

**7. New treats at the pastry shop**

**8. No one misses out**

**9. Last, we've discovered a Haunted Mansion**

Well, about that haunted mansion. Pence just discovered it recently with Hayner and Roxas. They wandered into the Tram Common and hid from Olette and I through escaping into that hole in the wall in the creepiest part of the Tram Common.

In it's own way, Twilight Town was eerie. Especially at night. In the corners, like the corner where the hole is, it's darker and things that make noise at night become the sinister orchestra. Which in my opinion made things all the more fun. It's obvious I do more scaring than being the one scared huh?

Anyway, about that haunted mansion. While Olette and I scavenged for the boys, they laid eyes on that place.

Now see here, except Roxas we've lived here pretty much our whole lives up to this point. We used to spend hours daring each other to go into the woods. So, we've known that hole had always been there. Basically, all Twilight Town citizens knew it was there, but as the little devils we are, we were the only ones that ventured to and from in the woods.

Yet now, the mansion had come to us or in better terms, was revealed to us. After all that time in the woods, we have never seen before now. Next to the Usual Spot, we hung out in the woods where Seifer and his gang couldn't find us.

But when the guys found Olette and me, they were eager to show us the mansion. So when we walked up to its black iron gates. Needless to say, it seemed to burn me to the core with familiarity. These 'strike-a-cords-but-make-no-sense' get very old, very fast.

I still don't have a reason for why the guy named Axel seems like someone I knew. I think it might be because we met when we were younger and haven't seen each other till the day he came by in the classroom. But everything was quiet and still, was he a magician? Was that what these Organization XIII guys were?

See, questions, no answers.

"That junk isn't going to move itself." An arrogant voice sounded as I started, I zoned out again, and I've got to stop doing that.

My grip on the garbage bag tightened as Seifer stopped beside me.

Ever since the day when Zexion kidnapped Vivi, Seifer had been a little kinder towards me. Not the kindest as in kind, but kinder than he was before. He was however, becoming worse with Roxas however. 'Chicken Wuss' had never been so popular and Roxas will probably forever hate mashed potatoes.

I don't know whether that's good or bad, mashed patatoes are really good, homemade ones mind you, artificial potatoes are rather nasty.

"Is it too heavy?" he asked with a sneer, I raised a brow. I know what he's going to do next, to prove he's stronger (and to show off) he'll take the bag from my hands and easily heave it to the dumpster a little ways off.

To my surprise, he did the opposite.

"Well, have fun." He said as he walked away, I felt his cape-like vest hit me as he swerved and headed out to the open of the Tram Common.

_Well, I did say he didn't get TOO kind…_ I sighed as I pulled the heavy bag off the ground and wobbled over to the dumpster where I threw it over with a gigantic heave.

Now I'm exhausted, for munny reasons I decided to do some junk sweeping today. The job required destroying the junk, so when I did I also had to sweep it up and hurry it into a bag. See, junk sweep.

"Not bad," the one who hired me, Mr. Berry said, his elderly face giving a soft smile. I grinned back, hiding my confusion that I've been thinking about for the past two hours. "Here's your 50 munny."

"Thank you sir." I replied as my munny supply increased. Mr. Berry walked away, leaving me free for the rest of the day.

_I wonder where the guys are; it's too nice today to be at the Usual Spot._ I wondered as I walked out of the little section of the Tram Common, I peered around, nope, none of them were wandering around today. However, I did see the last of Seifer vanished down the path towards the sandlots.

I didn't see any harm going that way; maybe Roxas and Hayner were putting in some practice. Olette and Pence were usually with them, seeing as next to homework and chores, there wasn't much else to do.

But then again, I really wanted company.

"Yo Seifer!" I did say I wanted company, but I'll take Seifer over a brick wall any day, because if you never noticed, walls are very mute. Whether that's better than snide smirks (somewhat kinder than before snide smirks) and staring, I rather not know. The staring thing however, kind of came along with the Vivi-kidnapping incident.

I suppose Seifer became curious about me, he hadn't asked any questions about what happened, just made a few, almost inaudible comments about how he was going to ring Zexion's neck the next time he sees him.

Yet, something in the pit of my stomach told me I wouldn't see his hide for a while…if ever again.

"What now Fool? Need help with the junk after all?" he asked with his arrogant manner.

I'm rethinking that brick wall-over-Seifer thought I would probably want to speak to the wall more now. Yet now that I put more thought into it, people passing by would think of me as more of a loony-bin sort than a fool would, and preferably I like Fool over Crackhead thank you very much.

"Actually, I'm done and I'm heading to the sandlots, I might as well take whatever company I can get." Which was entirely true, but now he was staring again. I wonder if he actually does have a lot of questions about what happened to Vivi. Not that I can give him much anyway…

"I've heard you guys found that old house in the Woods." Seifer asked, as if it was an everyday thing. Wait…did he know about it?

"Who told you that?" I asked, trying to stifle my snappy curiosity.

"I overheard your lame friends, creepy eh?" Seifer asked, oh, he _overheard_. I believe that when coconuts migrate. Hey, **Monty Python's Search for the Holy Grail **is wicked! Cool, I put two Broadway musicals in one sentence! Sweet… (**A/N: Referring to the Broadway musicals **Spamalot **and** Wicked)

"Right, say…I have an idea!" I exclaimed, in a week would be Halloween and when I mentioned rule** # 8: No one misses out**, I mean NO ONE misses out. Seifer and his gang (ESPECIALLY SEIFER) are not missing out.

He looked at me through the corner of his eye.

"I dare you to go into that haunted place." I stated proudly, once I tell Hayner and the rest of the lot where Seifer's going on Hallow's Eve, we're all going to have a field day. Seeing Seifer trying to get over that bolted gate would be comical enough.

He raised a brow.

"The Old Mansion?" He asked, then he smirked. "Since when has it been haunted?"

"What do you mean? All old places as big as a mansion are haunted." It was a known fact, ever seen Top 100 Haunted Places on TV? Or whatever it's called…

"Not all of them," he stated as he was the 'Know-it-all' as he claims he is.

"Fine, I _double-dare_ you to go into the OLD mansion." I said, he looked at me with much amusement. We were almost to the sandlots, I could hear two bats going at each other, and very likely it was Hayner and Roxas.

"I didn't reject the offer, actually, I've been planning on breaking into the place to see what it was about, seeing as the mayor didn't even get documents on the place since his election." Seifer said.

_**SCREECH!**_

Whoa, slam on the breaks. Seifer was _planning_ on **breaking and _entering_** into A place. Lord shoot me down now Seifer Almasy is going to do something that goes entirely against the rules and EVERYONE WILL KNOW IT! Including the parents. And adults. The storekeepers. The guy that makes people smack his cargo into his garage…I'm getting off subject again.

Needless to say, I am VERY surprised by this sudden news. I wonder what attracts Seifer enough to go against his morals like that?

"Don't flip, it's weird, I know, but something doesn't seem right, and if it means breaking a few rules to fix something wrong, so be it." Wow, I'm actually starting to admire this tough guy. Who knew he could be so…admirable? My vocab has left me with a guy I always believed as the school bully…man, I'm starting to feel those stupid 'crush butterflies' in my stomach…damn my hormones…

When a hand landed on my shoulder and jolted me to a stop, I snapped out of my thoughts and noticed the struggle platform before me, Seifer behind me holding onto my shoulder, probably smirking his egotistical head off.

Typical.

Typical of me to zone out like that to the point Seifer has to save me from a mean, painful situation.

"Hey! Paws off!" That was sure to be Hayner, first to notice anything Seifer does from blinking to swinging a struggle bat. I looked up in time to see his hazel eyes boring into Seifer's, his emerald pools sure to be boring holes in return.

I know a total of three people with green eyes, all very pretty. Others with a shade of brown and Roxas' a very attractive blue. It was oceanic.

I'm too easily sidetracked.

"Relax, it's not like I touched her _anywhere else_." Seifer replied arrogantly, I rolled my eyes. If he did happen to do that, he wouldn't be having any children in the future.

"You better stay clear from Yen got it?" I don't know where Hayner had ever gotten that familial urge in him over me, but it was rather annoying to have around sometimes, then it would also be very nice. Don't get me wrong, Hayner's awesome, he and Pence are like brothers to Olette and me a sister. Roxas…well, he was still new to this _family…_

"Calm down now, don't go getting your briefs up your-"

"_Seifer._" I warned, he brushed me off rather easily, but not until he gave a slight flinch that was certainly new. I've never recalled him starting or flinching in any way since I first met him. Maybe it had something to do with my tone; I used it a lot when Hayner got out of hand. Yet it was funny, Seifer and Hayner had the same reaction; Hayner just showed it more.

"Whatever, and before I forget, since I'm gonna do it anyway, I accept." He said, looking at me, Hayner giving us both confused glances. Then with a simple wave he said "Later losers," and strolled over to where Rai, Fuu and Viv were 'conversing'.

Would 'conversing' refer to standing around flexing muscles, saying nothing and staring at the ground?

Didn't think so.

"What was that about?" This time it was Roxas, coming up beside Hayner on the platform. I looked down at their hands; there were their blue struggle bats. Strange things I know, they didn't hurt that much when they hit you though, they were like pillows…

"Oh, you should hear this! Where's Pence and Olette?" I asked, then seemingly out of no where, Pence and Olette joined us.

"Hey Yen, make a friend out of Seifer yet?" Pence teased.

"I'm still trying to find a way to degrade him without getting 'owned'." I replied with a smirk that rivaled Seifer's. The guys laughed lightly till we got down to business.

"So Seifer and his gang are going to the Old Mansion?" Pence asked, rather excited about the news after I explained what I heard from Seifer.

Excluding he meant to break in anyway.

"Uh-huh, I'm not sure about Rai, Fuu and Vivi though." I said, Hayner grinned.

"Taken care of, earlier today Hayner asked whether those three could help with _Fright Night City_." Olette answered, I looked at Hayner for an answer. When did this come about?

"_Fright Night City,_" I turned to Roxas, was he the founder? "Games like apple-dunking by morning, friendly trick-or-treating by noon to evening, then sinister character-roaming by night. Pence and I came up with it," Wow, this was going to be great! I can't believe I missed out on this though, I can't hold anything against them though, and they probably talked about it while I zoned out to Yen-Yen Land.

"So, it's Twilight Town for the kids during sunlight, and for us, Fright Night City during moonlight. Sweet." Shoot, didn't mean to say that. But whatever I said at the end didn't matter, it seems this awesome new event blasted Seifer and his strange dialect out the window.

"That's good Yen, we can put that on our banner." Olette said, I have her a quizzical look.

"I read in a book somewhere that if a town or city is hosting a special event, beings from other worlds, dimensions, realms will come swarming in if some sort of welcome welcomes them." Pence explained, I hope that didn't include those Organization XIII guys, there would be absolute chaos then and no one would know it was real chaos because it would be Halloween!

"Right, so we're planning on having a really big Halloween party for the whole of Twilight Town, the mayor already thinks it's a good idea." Hayner said.

"Really?"

"Said best he's heard in over fifty years." Roxas said with a hand over his heart and a somber look, I laughed. Roxas smiled.

"Now we just have to decorate, we've rounded lots of people to help out with it, hardly anyone isn't doing it." Olette said.

"Well, now that Yen's got Seifer, we do have everyone in it!" Pence said. I couldn't help but feel a huge thrill race through my veins; I couldn't wait till next week!

"Oh, look," Hayner pointed over to a few men with a ladder and washable paint buckets. Orange and black, glowing green and white, purple and glitter.

"We shoulder help out," Pence said, excitement boiling in the depths of his eyes as much as mine.

"Hey, Hayner, the mayor held a special place for you to decorate if you want!" one of the men, Mr. Jackie Chan shouted, he and his uncle (also referred to as Uncle), niece (Jade), and friend (Tohru), did I mention he had a dog and a cat (known as Spunky and Ruby) came here a while ago, back when Jade was a year old (she's twelve now). When I asked my parents where they came from, they said it was nothing of importance and that they lived here now and that's all that mattered.

The weird thing is, it's not normal, once your born in Twilight Town, I've never known anyone to leave it. Once you here, you stay here till you die. Therefore knowledge of other places outside of this place is limited, if there is anything outside of the outskirts of the woods that is.

"Really? Which place?" Hayner asked, Jackie looked up in thought for a moment then looked back at Hayner with a grin.

"Sunset Hill, says he wants something up there to really remember!" Jackie shouted, wow, our mayor did appreciate that head on Hayner's shoulders. Any authority here in Twilight Town we go about on a first-name basis except Olette, Roxas and Pence. They didn't mess around as much as Hayner and I. We're rather 'dangerous'. In fact, that was how that whole Disciplinary Committee started up, to try keeping us down using our peers against us.

Not that it worked much, it just gave Hayner motivation because of another rival, I didn't mind really, Fuu was my sister and even at times when I hadn't a clue she was thinking, we were still sisters at heart.

"All right, we've got the best spot on the map." Pence said, Olette nodded with agreement. Roxas looked a little lost so I filled him in.

"It's a nice place down in the Sunset Residential area, it can be romantic for couples because of the sunset up there (hence Sunset Residential), but then once it's all dressed up, I bet it can be just as scary as it is beautiful." I explained, Roxas tilted his head.

"Oh."

"That also reminds me, meet me all at my house in fifteen minutes, I have the perfect make-up for Sunset Hill." I said, the others nodded.

About an fifty minutes later, after the guys showed up at my place (where I professionally revealed tons of drapery, paint, stickers, etc. in storage) and dragged the decorations to the train and hop back out at Sunset Station, there we heaved the stuff through the streets and up to the hill. It was around noon, so we could get some stuff done tonight.

"All right, we need to think of how we're going to build this, Tohru said he would bring us some planks and other building materials-" Olette began, if it weren't for Hayner's obvious leadership over us, Olette would be leader, but instead, she's the general. A good one at that.

And when Tohru, one heck of a big guy, he's the perfect example of a gentle giant though, did show up, not only did he bring more than 'some' wood, he brought everything that possibly built our houses!

"Geez Tohru, where did you get this stuff?" Pence asked curiously, eyeing the big man.

"Uncle doesn't like seeing good wood put to waste, he says he wants to inspect it when you're done." Tohru said, ignoring Pence's question, for all I know, being the 'chi master' (whatever that is) he was, Uncle was rather energetic in a way for his old age, he could've easily snatched it from the leftover supplies it took to build the houses in Twilight Town…

Not that any of us are complaining.

"All right, let's begin!" Hayner shouted, Tohru waving a good-bye and wishing us good luck.

It was around seven thirty when we got some of the frame up, four walls, not all that impressive but for us, it was some sort of accomplishment.

"We have to get more done guys, we only have six days after today to get it done, that's a hundred hours!" Hayner cried.

"That's a hundred and forty-four hours Hayner," Olette corrected, _math-wiz…_

"Yeah, yeah…anyway, let's hurry and get this at least half-way done okay?" Hayner tried to reason, but as much as I hate to admit it, we were tired and worn out, we were seriously in need of help if we were going to get this anywhere near done by the time Hallow's Eve rolls around.

"Hayner, let's get rested up and we'll work on it as soon as we wake up tomorrow." Olette said, her idea sounded much more reasonable in my opinion.

"But…what about Monday? School still goes on for Halloween you know?" Hayner whined, he had a point, we only had so much time after school, seeing as we had homework and needs to attend to. Oh yes, this was going to be a toughie.

"We'll do what we can Hayner," Olette said rather calmly, touching his shoulder, now seeing Hayner and Olette going about acting this friendly was all right, I can see a thin sparking between these two, they've always fought when they were younger. Yet now that they were teenagers, maybe something really good will come out of it.

"Fine…" he mumbled as we officially called it a day.

"Are you coming Yen?" Roxas asked as he, Hayner, Olette and Pence started walking down the hill.

"You know what, I'm going to stay here for a little longer, I'll go home soon though." I added on the last part pretty quickly when both Hayner and Olette gave me warning looks. As if they were daring me to stay out late out here.

"You sure you want to be out here alone? I can stay out here if you wan-" Roxas began, but I cut him off.

"Nah, I'm fine. G'night guys!" I said, with a glimpse in my direction, Hayner turned away and resumed his journey home, Olette bid me a good night in return and hurried after him, Pence yawned and waved, Roxas cocked his head to the side like he usually did when he was confused with female nature before he followed in pursuit.

I finally had some time to myself.

It was nice too.

I loved my friends and all, but there are those times you need to have time to yourself you know? Now I could have that time for a little while.

The sky was beginning to darken and the sun's light began to dance along the waves beyond the hill.

Did I mention it was really pretty out here?

The way the sky held so many shades from dark blue to the bright yellow of the dying sun. The stars that managed to send out their twinkling joy, as if saying they didn't need the vast darkness to stand out. Those stars…there were so many of them, one was never alone, and it was completely surrounded by good friends. Whether those friends shined the brightest or not, they were still there.

Maybe that was what Axel was, a dim star I couldn't see in the ring of friends I have. Yet he stood out the most among them, held more questions that stirred within me. Something about him made me wonder, and every time he came to mind, a strange sensation came to my lips. Have we kissed? Could I possibly have amnesia and before I forgot him he was my boyfriend? No, that didn't sound right…

There was a connection between us, I know it. But what?

I slowly crawled over to the wooden fence that stated the border between the ground and the cliff; here I leaned my back against one of the posts and held my knees close to my chest. Something was amiss, and it was hurting me somehow…

Something was amiss… 

I put my forehead to my kneecaps; it started throbbing…maybe I was thinking too much, it was never in my manual to think this much…

"**Maybe it would be best to halt your pondering then."**

Strange, I didn't recognize that voice in my head…oh wait, shouldn't be thinking that. I heard a very soft chuckle, it felt like this voice was coming from my head, but if I ever told anyone I DID hear voices in my head, I would certainly be sent to the loony bin for sure.

"**I am talking to you through telekinesis, therefore I have a body and mind of my own."**

Oh, that's good. Someone was talking through to me through my head. Lovely.

_Who are you? You sound familiar…_ I asked, not out loud anyway, if he was telekinesis (sounded like a he) then he should hear anyway right?

"**My name?" **

It seems this guy doesn't get the hint.

_Yes, your name. Title. Identity. Vice versa._

"**Mewtwo."**

Mewtwo huh? Where are you? 

"**Why don't you start by opening your eyes."**

I didn't realize I had closed my eyes, I must have been out of it. I wonder for how long? Yet when I did open my eyes, I was taken by surprise, this guy, Mewtwo, wasn't…a guy as in human guy.

He was a…cat of some sort. Tall, around six or so feet, his built I couldn't get in since he wore a large, brown cloak with violet embroidery and silver attachments around the hood. At the bottom I could hardly see his toes, but they were paw-like and lavender, violet gems and silver beads hung from his ankles and dragged to the ground, where his being levitated a good five inches from the ground. The sleeves ended in silver, where I could see as much of his fingers as I could his feet, the same jewelry hung from his wrists there.

Then there was his head, the top of it all. He covered most of his head with his hood, but I could make out ear-like structures through the fabric on the top of his head and calm and collected amethyst orbs that peered down at me curiously. His mouth a firm line, it didn't seem used to talking much.

"Hello…" I meekly greeted, allowing to loosen my hold on my knees so they slid out a little.

"**Yen, correct?" **he asked, his gaze unwavering.

"Er…yeah."

"**Why do you go by a nickname?"**

"It's easier to remember."

"**Well then, I can assure you that I will do just that."**

He said without a doubt in his tone, sure was a confident fellow I'll give him that.

"Where did you come from? I don't remember seeing you here, do you happen to live in that old mansion a little ways from here?" He seemed reluctant to answer, but gave a slight sigh.

"**I am not of this world."** He said, I raised a brow.

_Not of this world…_

"Huh? Worlds?" I searched my brain for some sort of logical explanation, none came.

"**Do you believe your town is the only one?" **Mewtwo asked, his tone emotionless, I noticed how his lips didn't move must come with the package for being a psychic.

"Well, erm…actually, I don't have much of a clue what you're talking about." I admitted, I seemed to be doing a lot of that lately.

"**There are many worlds out there, so many in great peril. Your town isn't as much, there is something very strange about it." **Mewtwo stated.

Wow, this was a lot to take in.

"You're going to have to explain further, nothin' much in this noggin." I said, tapping my head to motion towards what I was referring to. I saw a small smile come but flicker away as quickly as it had come on the psychic cat's face.

"**I have nowhere to go, my world is gone. I'll inhabit yours. As we are similar." **Wow, this cat has my tongue.

"Uh, sure, you're welcome. Just don't disturb the folk here, we're all pretty superstitious and black cat crossing our path is one of those superstitions." I explained, he remained nonchalant. He then peered over at our pathetic beginning of a haunted hall.

"**May I offer some assistance?" **It wasn't much of a question, seeing as he went on with what he had in mind anyway.

In amazement, I watched as he raised an arm, where his sleeve tumbled down slightly to reveal three balls for fingers at the end of his hand. With his palm to the sky, a shimmery blue aura engulfed his hand and soon after, did the wood, nails and much more.

They all began to float then started putting each other together. I watched as a hammer by itself hammered in nail after nail as planks flew together. This cat-guy, Mewtwo was doing exactly what I imagined it to look like. The structure was suppose to climb all the way down to the entrance to Sunset Hill, where people would have to go through the haunted hall to the tip top to see the best show of Hallow's Eve, where every year, the ocean went still, no waves, no fish; nothing.

This kind of event was called Neptune's Slumber, where the great god Poseidon put the sea to rest for several hours to the point they would be able to wash up all kind of things for the year that followed the next morning.

The stranger thing is, the moon was always new, whether the night before was a full or quarter, on Hallow's Eve at midnight, the moon vanishes till the first crack of dawn. It was amazing to behold, especially when the only light in the sky were the stars, that actually brightened up enough to show the stillness of the water world around them.

"Uh…" It was unintelligent to mutter something incoherent, but nothing that made any possible sense escaped my mouth as Mewtwo finished the last of the frame at the bottom of the hill. Fortunately, everyone in town seemed to have turned in. Lucky me.

"**Your welcome."** I blushed, I'm not sure it was fortunate he read my mind clearly enough to know I meant to say thank you, even if it was rather hazy up there.

"Were you born with them?" I asked, then quickly added "Your powers?"

"**Yes, they weren't controllable at first, but…"**

He looked off into space, looking up as if searching for a shooting star, they were plentiful here. Yet his eyes, they didn't move. I suppose I triggered a horrible memory of some sort. My mouth was big; I couldn't help what things came out of it. I have been trying, you all know that, I haven't been cussing as much as usual.

"Sorry if I…" I trailed off, I didn't want to sound stupid, just in case he wasn't thinking of something bad, could it possibly be of a lost lover er-mate (he was some sort of animal wasn't he?)? Friend? Other sort of family?

"**Don't fret over me," **He said not unkindly, but his eyes did shift a little ways over me, it's going to take a while to get used to this whole telekidney thing-

"**Telekinesis,"** he corrected, I sighed silently. Where the hell did 'kidney' come out of telekinesis? I haven't a clue.

"**May I be too bold to ask where you came from?" **I raised a brow at the cat-like creature as he turned towards me, still levitating I see.

"My parents," I replied snidely, he shook his head, was he straining not to smile?

"**No, I meant world-wise," **he rephrased, I flushed slightly, I did know what he was talking about but then I didn't, did that make sense?

"Huh?" I said, another _intelligent_ reply, he shook his head lightly as he closed his eyes.

"**I will leave you to your business for now." **Wow, that was sudden. He already wants to leave? I'm rather curious about him.

"Wait! When will I see you again?" I asked, standing up quickly.

"**I will be nearby, but you can reach me anywhere." **He had said before a white light engulfed him and whisked him away in ten second flat. Great, he can teleport too.

I yawned, the night was catching up to me and my parents were probably going to kill me. All well, they're used to it.

And with that, I headed home. Hands in my pockets and head lolling, good thing the train runs non-stop.

* * *

**_The energy she gives off…it's not of this world like I. _**Mewtwo peered from the sea below his feet, up to the dark heavens above. He was hovering a mile above the ocean, his figure reflecting the full moon's light. Whether it was glaring at him for his sudden, unpleasant arrival on a copy world or smiling brightly at him for who knows what he didn't honestly care. 

He had learned to bear with the moon, as he had to wander about and bathe in its light to have any rights of freedom at all.

Like the moon envied the sun, Mewtwo envied those born into the worlds across the galaxies. They didn't live beneath the blanket of night; fear being discovered and finding themselves on a lab table of some sort.

**_My friends…_** A distant, startled cry of a yellow mouse still vibrated off his eardrums.

**_You will be found, I assure it._** He peered from the gazing moon up to the stars again, catching a glimpse of one shimmering, then finally going out.

**_Danger is set for this world's original. _**He thought absently, his thoughts tracing back to the girl named Yen.

**_Yenchrx, such a curious name indeed. _**Mewtwo pondered, his tail swerving to the left.

The clouds gathered up quickly and rotated, then headed for the moon, soon bunching together to block out whatever light that might seep through. It may be plausible the sun will have as much success as the moon as it struggled to maintain the light on Twilight Town. However, this world would not be seeing life's light for a couple of days.

Mewtwo's eyes narrowed, his orbs flashing.

_**There's a scheme in the making.**_

* * *

**A/N:**

_Phew! 12 pages of Comic Sans MS in size 10 font! Woot! One long chappy. All well, sorry, Halloween chapter's a little late, but that's because I've been lazy and haven't been typing the story up to date like I should be. And for those who have been reading my Furuba fics, sorry I've been neglecting them, I have a story for it but I haven't been able to get to it since I'm obsessed with my KH and Pokemon at the moment. Sorry. Then for my Cat Returns fic, that'll be updated something I hope. Don't worry, it had a plot, it's not all spontaneous. All right, I have to go. it's 9:44PM, me sleepy.  
_

_Night._

_Aspen_

_ Jingles says night too._

_P.S. Remember, Angell is now Angell Eleven.  
_


	9. Enter Marluxia

**..::Part VIII::..**

**..::Enter Marluxia::..**

_The moon shifted into a comfy posture among the starry heavens, the trees dancing and grass singing with the agonizing silence around them, despite the wind with strong enough strength to put them in motion. _

_I'm not entirely sure why, but as my form stood frozen, glued to the ground in my bare feet and red, long-sleeved nightgown. My body seemed to lean towards that large padlock on the iron gate. However, my eyes were cast further, past the stubborn metal._

_My eyes were unable to look away from that curtain that swayed without a breeze, leaves blowing past me in small dust devils. _

_I never noticed nor cared of the heavy familiarity that manor held on me at the moment. What interested me now was what was inside that mansion that drew me to it even in my – and possibly (mostly) nightmarish – dreams._

_The moon as well as the rest of my unseen surroundings was quiet, even though the wind became gruesomely thunderous._

_I continued to stare at that curtain, waiting for it to reveal who was hiding behind it._

**What is there to hide from me**

"…_sleep tight my little magpie…" Even when I'm several yards away, including the distance behind the gate. I could see that face that slowly separated itself from the shadows behind the curtain._

_The face was pale and psychotic, handsome, but bloodthirsty. I began to fear that face…he haunted me with a cold loathing down in the deepest pit of my stomach, sending tingles up and down my spine._

"…_I can **see** you…" His eyes wide and red, his lips curved in a wide grin, showing possibly all of his sharp teeth in that twisted smile. His hair a silvery black, thick strands covering sections of his face like stripes._

No you can't…I can't let him see me…I **can't**… _I wanted to step back; run back to town even if I had to endure that darkness provided by the shade of the trees of the Woods._

"_You can run Albino…but you can't **hide**…" My stomach churned as a stream of blood flowed down from his bottom lip, his canines were growing longer at an alarming rate._

**Master Eleven…? Who's** Master Eleven? _I wished for the comfort of someone that didn't exist, or was it another name like Axel's. A person of a name or a name of a person that simply did not exist in my memory before?_

"_I'm **coming** for **you…**" I choked on a terrified cry as the red eyes of this cruel being tortured my mind, scarring my eyes._

Who the hell is he? _I remained motionless, my body uncooperative._

_What happened to my life? Where were these people coming from? Can't they leave me alone?_

"_You seem scared?" I blinked and that face was about ready to touch mine, my eyes leaked then as I squeezed them shut and screamed and screamed..._

…_and screamed…_

* * *

"_AXEL!_" I bolt up from my pillow and raised my hands to my eyes, tears running down my cheeks and splashing onto my sheets from my hands. Whatever came out of my mouth didn't concern me at that moment nor did I worry over who might have heard them. 

I was scared, so it was only natural to want comfort.

_So very scared..._

The hell with that, my mom would be the only one who could give me any sort of comfort here, but I preferred it from someone who had some sort of clue of what was going on in my life. I needed and _wanted_ those answers, even if I had to sacrifice an eye or an arm for them.

After my sobbing came to a halt somewhat and I heard no one coming up (I'm the only light sleeper in this house, well, so is Fuu I guess…), I wiped my eyes and my rubbing pursued. I was dead, dead, dead, dead.

Dead tired I mean. I haven't had any sleep since I met that Mewtwo guy, though we've had a few random conversations in places like in class (where I was given a few stares even from Roxas) and sometimes even at the dinner table (my parents already think I'm a nut anyway).

Of course, by a few I mean three in the past week. Tomorrow night's Halloween, I wonder if something bad will happen…it is Halloween after all.

_All right, c'mon…pull it together Yen, let's not get superstitious or paranoid…not that I'm feeling very confident either…_ The last thing I needed was for someone to have a mask similar to the crazy man's face in my dream the following night.

* * *

"Geez Yen, I think it's a little early to put on your make-up." Hayner commented, it was obvious he was referring to my dark circles under my eyes, all week they've gotten worse. 

Did I mention what they thought about the haunted hall frame that 'magically' stood itself up right over night? Though I saw the gang give me a few glances when they found it the next day pretty much ready to decorate.

"_You sure you didn't have anything to do with this?"_ Hayner had asked suspiciously, I never lied to my friends full force before, but this time it was different and came up with the 'no idea' excuse.

Common and hardly reliable anymore, but lucky me, Hayner and the rest of them didn't press the issue.

Now the _Haunted Hall of Morbid_ was ready for daring folk like us tonight.

Of course, I might not be awake, seeing as that tray of probably inedible food looked like a good enough pillow for my forehead right about now...

"Maybe you should go to the nurse's office Yen." Olette suggested, the only reasonable one of our group had spoken and considering what her decisions do for people, you would be thought mad to turn down something like that. You would think some people thought of her as a Fate!

"Nah, I'm fine." _Not._ Maybe if I died I could come back tonight for the occasion.

The rest of the day went on like chaos; it was Halloween after all.

However, Seifer did approach me with interesting news. He did so after checking no one was within earshot up and down the hallway though.

"Hey, I'm calling off the dare." Seifer stated, his eyes lost of all his bold motivation I saw earlier in the week. I gaped at the guy, was he serious?

"Wha-"

"And before you start calling me a chicken," he said quickly before I managed a whole word. "It's not because I'm terrified, something serious happened."

I looked at him oddly with a raised eyebrow, my view changed when I saw he was dead serious. No one, not even Seifer could keep a straight face like he was doing now when he was only joking.

_Great, what happened now?_

"Well?" I pressed, he smirked.

"Of course you didn't hear about it, I would have thought Haynerd or Chicken Wuss would've told you." Seifer began, he gave a sigh. "Do you remember Clover Latinhigh? Yeah, that girl. She's been on **Amber Alert** for the past seven hours."

"**Amber Alert**? Clover? What happened?" That shocked me, Clover was the star player on the soccer team, she was by far one of the best goalies the soccer coach, Mr. Roseland has had in twenty years. She was really pretty and had been (as far as I have cared to notice before) attempting to flirt with Seifer. Nothing succeeded and she eventually moved on – I think.

"This morning her parents found her bed unmade and discovered a man dressed in black outside her window." Seifer explained, I had instantly gone numb. Clover was kidnapped from her house? Wait, Seifer didn't say anything about her being kidnapped…no, he didn't. The only thing that bothered me was that Clover lived right across the street from Fuu and my house.

"Her parents, Frank and Rosemary said they saw the man step into a black hole, but that was after the man pointed at them, then turned around and pointed at your house, they claimed they saw you at your window, whiter than a ghost and staring back at him." Seifer continued, I began stepping back, Seifer's eyes trained on me with a predator's gaze.

"Why would that cancel your dare?" I asked bravely.

"You're name was on a note they found this morning, on their daughter's pillow. It said '_Bring Yenchrx to the Woods at dusk and you'll see your daughter again, but leave her at the Woods, she knows where to go'_." I decided not to question how he remembered those specific words.

"Yen, you're involved in something dangerous." Seifer had stated the obvious, though he was a little late. I realized that the day the guy named Zexion kidnapped Vivi to get to me. Seeing as I didn't know the guy or the order he was a part of, maybe they were old enemies of my father's, it's possible. We did take after him after all, that said something.

"I suggest you stay around your friends till this guy is caught and Clover comes back, _don't go ANYWHERE alone_." It did warm me to hear he had concern written all over his now scary face and glazing eyes, but deep inside the back of my head, I knew this guy could not be caught.

"Seifer…?" Why did I doze off at the worst moments, my eyes had been latched to Seifer's, why did I like green eyes so much?

Seifer had stepped closer to me, and at seeing that I couldn't move except to the right because a random vending machine was at my left (what a coincidence), I was kind of stuck, well, I wasn't till Seifer placed his hand on the right side of my face, now I was officially stuck.

This was rather nerve-racking; he didn't like me did he? He hell as better not, sure he was nice to look at but I don't see him in that kind of light. It wasn't very reassuring mind you when he slowly descended his face down towards me.

"The man…" he whispered softly, I felt a tinge of relieve as his lips went to my left ear and not towards my mouth.

"I remember him from before, his hood was up but it has to be him…he's been bothering you hasn't he?" He asked, his voice stoic. Well, to put it truthfully the Organization hasn't tampered with my life since Zexion. Axel has been absent and things have been put back into sense-ful reality.

But before they were bothering me, would that still count today?

"Um…" I gathered some guts as I mentally slapped myself, _hit him Yen! Be a proper girl would you?_

I did, it was instinct to punch a guy that hit on you so closely wasn't it? And I don't want to be seen as a sleazy mary-sue in this story either.

Not that my fist didn't make much of an impact on him, I tried to get him away by giving a hard hit to his stomach, but I could tell there was a hard six-pack or something down there that prevented me from even bruising him.

However, he did lean away and remove his hand from the wall. He stepped away and gave me an emotionless mask.

"If you see him again, find me okay?" Then he stomped off, scaring younger years senseless as he made his way down the center of the hallway. The students then looked at me fearfully before hurrying away.

"_If you see him again, find me okay?" _Pff, I couldn't fight him off. What makes him think I'll be able to stand a chance against Axel, Zexion and who knows who else that might come for me for hell knows what.

"Yen?" I snapped my head so fast to the right that it cracked, there was Pence, looking at me looking very downcast. Now unless he got a B on a test I don't see how he could look so miserable, I wonder…

"Hey," I replied as he approached, maybe he saw Seifer and me and thought we were doing something, but wouldn't that make him angry or amused? He was the one after all that suggested to me that Hayner and Olette should go out.

"…" All right, something was up, he was glancing at his feet then the wall, and it had to have been Seifer.

"Listen, it wasn't what you think-" I started, but he gave me a baffled look that made me stop.

"Huh?" He finally voice, I flushed slightly.

"Oh, nevermind, what is it?" I asked, slightly flustered still. His eyes gained that sadness again, I stifled a sigh.

"C'mon, you can tell me." I said, he looked around cautiously, like he was looking for Satan and making sure he wasn't going to be caught releasing a secret or something.

"Did you hear what happened to Clover? I know you don't listen to the radio or the news for that matter that well, so I was wondering…" he spat out the rest in a rush. "I-kind-of-overheard-what-Seifer-was-saying-and-was-wondering-if-you-knew-anything-about-her…you know? Where she is?"

I was so tempted to ask '_well, how does that make you feel?_', like a therapist.

"Pence, if anyone I would tell you anything you need to know, but honestly, _I don't know_." I said, emphasizing those last three words. But he said he 'overheard', that means he didn't see us I hope. So I was in the shadows still.

"Oh…okay," Now he was making me depressed where was that after school spirit? Oh…_riiiiiight._

I totally forgot, Pence was smitten with Clover. I had completely forgotten that, it was like love at first sight back in kindergarten, it must've been love because a crush can only last so long. That was why he was so miserable.

"Don't worry Pence," I said, he looked at me carefully. "Seifer and I are on the case, and if the police don't find her, we will." I was actually rather confident on Seifer finding her, he could fight heck, struggle. I was an ant compared to him. Pence however, did find them reassuring; thankfully, I know I couldn't find her if I tried and get her back with the both of us in one piece.

"Thank you, I'll help too-"

"NO!" There was no way I was getting anyone else involved with Organization XIII, they were a bunch of crackheads, I can't let them figure out close friends of mine, Vivi was enough.

"I mean…" Pence was looking at me funny, I chewed my lip. "I mean…you should go home and start making fliers and such, that might help." Pence was easily cheered up when you gave him an option of work he could do.

"Yeah, I can do that." He said with a grin, "Thanks Yen, I'll go and get started on those, Yen?" I watched as he started walking away then turned around, I looked back at him.

"You're the best," he said before running off. I sighed.

_I wish…_

"Well, wasn't that _nice._" Okay, that wasn't anyone I knew, but that cloak was damned recognizable. Time seemed to have stopped, or possibly literally if he was like Axel. The man had his hood up and his voice was suave, the vibe I got from him was unlike Axel and Zexion's. Those two kept their distance, but this one was rather flirtatious with that evil hue.

"Great, and what is your name?" I growled out, this guy wasn't friendly. When he summoned a magenta scythe, I knew I was right.

_I hate being right! _"Can't you negotiate, it's the most plausible way of getting information." _Next to that, I prefer the lack of luxury of pain._ I tried to reason, but the man chuckled.

"Really? But my blossoms like the taste of blood." I tried not to scream when something hissed into my ear, I was about to turn to look until the man spoke.

"If you want to live, you wouldn't turn your head." I kept my eyes on him then, eyeing his scythe and trying with all my willpower not to look anywhere but him. "They're called Saturnanian Blood-suckers, lovely to look at by their caretaker, but lethal to anyone else that decides to even _glance_ at them. They only attack, when I command it."

_Oh, thanks for warning me you prick._

"Who are you? And what have you done with Clover?" There was no doubt; he was the one who kidnapped her.

"Tsk, tsk, how rude. You should ask with less demand in your voice." The man said with humor that sort of made me angry, good thing I'm lenient. I scowled and the man gave a laugh. "If you must know, I am Marluxia, the Graceful Assassin of Organization XIII. Happy?"

"_Ecstatic_," I retorted.

"I like that spunk, it's a shame you ended that way _Chenry._" Marluxia said. That name, he wasn't calling me that was he?

"Give back Clover, she did nothing to you." I snarled, the man shook his head.

"She will provide amusement however." Marluxia went on, "And you do know where she is, why in that mansion. Just go and get her yourself."

"Why don't YOU go to _hell you-_" I went to launch at him but vines came and wrapped around my arms and torso; **cheater**.

"You're suppose to be at the castle Moron, Sora and his cronies are-" The voice stopped as my brain stopped, well, what great timing.

I decided the best I could do at this moment was glare, and _glare_, and _**glare**_, and **_glare_** some more…

"_Axel…_" Oh, once I knock out those naughty thoughts from his head I'll _castrate_ him!

"Well, I see that you're busy. But Xemnas won't be happy to know your abusing your duty." Axel said, his lanky form seemingly weaker than the broader Marluxia.

"Shut it you Pyromaniac," Marluxia snarled out, it was more than a little obvious the two shared a bond of hatred between them. I was thankful the attention wasn't on me as much as before.

"Maybe I will, but don't forget, that girl holds the _Secret_, don't go torturing her just yet." Axel said, looking over at me (making my cheeks go warm), Marluxia looked at me too before looking back at Axel.

"Fine, did you talk to the boy yet?"

_Who, Sora? Who is this Sora?_ My thoughts were answered as the vines began to untangle themselves with my body. Axel groaned.

"Don't do that, it's so much easier to think perverse with her all like that with the vines…"

"_Damned pervert._" Both I and Marluxia growled out, making Axel grin.

"Jynx," He stated proudly before Marluxia vanished from the scene through a black hole, along with whatever hissed in my ear. I glared at Axel more at that point, my colorful vocabulary soaring through my mind.

"I'll see you tonight." Axel stated, leaving me behind as well.

Time came flooding back into motion.

* * *

"**_BOO!_**" The trick-or-treating was done and kids under thirteen had gone home with their parents, leaving all the daredevils outside to do whatever. If it weren't for the pumpkin-shaped lanterns strung up on rope throughout the center of town and some pathways, it would've been pitch-black, well, there was the moon. 

The Tram Common was filled with kids from school terrifying one another and running in and out of homemade haunted houses. Jackie Chan was helping Uncle with some of that green Chi magic that scared some of the young teens crapless.

At one point, I spotted a rather realistic-looking skeleton man wobbling about on what had to be stilts for legs, it had to have been a robot because that structure as a proper human was clearly impossible. This man went around scaring even chaperones and full grown men gave out a shriek here and there, that was a big wow. But by the time his gaze rounded about that could possibly land on me, I bolted. He was that good at what he was doing with the people provided anyway.

Yet instead of enjoying any of those or eating at the 'gross food' buffet table, or helping Hayner, Olette and Pence with the _Haunted Hall of Morbid_, I was doing what I promised Pence. Finding Clover. I had evaded her parents who were asking around for me as well as some security officers and police.

I was at the gate of that Old Mansion with a flashlight, dark as a cave and alone as can be. I was terrified; I'll admit it. This place was creepy enough during the day.

In fact, as I turned my gaze at a window up in that old mansion, I about hightailed it out of there when I saw a young girl, probably around my age dressed in white standing at that window. A ghost perhaps? I dunno, but she was looking straight at me.

"I told you NOT to go around by yourself, sure I found her but that doesn't mean the kidnapper is-" I wasn't paying much attention, I was too into looking at that pale girl, she smiled so kindly. Was she a good ghost? A lonely one that still haunted the place?

I blinked and she was gone, I blinked again and I saw him. That evil man with bloodthirsty eyes.

"_I know **where** you are…" _I backed away, eyes wide and my heart pounding against my ribcage.

"Are you even listening to me?" I could hardly hear myself think my heart was pounding so hard my eardrums hurt. When something touched my shoulder I leaped to Pluto. When two hands grabbed my shoulder I fell to the ground and covered my head.

"Get him away…get him away…" I muttered to myself, trying to remain calm, but with a face like that entering my mind, I couldn't think, I couldn't _ear,_ I couldn't **_believe_** I was _safe_ anymore.

"What? Are you talking about the kidnapper? Where the hell is he Yen?" Seifer's voice was getting through, but my body refused any orders that I wanted it to do.

"No…not him…_HIM…_" I distinctly pointed out that it wasn't Marluxia, Axel or Zexion. This mask that gave me terrors at night made me want to face those three or possibly their whole group. This man…he wasn't human, he was _inhumane_.

"Yen…" it was Seifer, who was pretty new to this comforting thing my fuzzy mind concluded. Where was Fuu? Where was my sister when I needed her?

"You need to calm down, there is no one here but me, you and Clover over there." That caught my attention, he did say Clover was found didn't he? I didn't know she was here though…I looked up slightly, looking past Seifer's knee (when did he get down?) and spotted Clover's body leaning against a tree; unconscious.

"We need to hurry back to Twilight Town and I can't carry the both of you, you need to stand up." I didn't want to though; I was tired from being terrified and from not having enough sleep, slumbering here wasn't that bad of an idea.

By the time Seifer did pull me up by the shoulders I was ironically asleep, I fell against his chest and breathed lightly.

"Damnit…" he cursed as he realized he had no choice but to carry the two girls back.

* * *

"**You are aware that girl is completely useless to your cause?"** Mewtwo asked, staring down Axel, whom was standing on burnt ground, Mewtwo hovered above it; unharmed. Around them was the Haunted Hall of Morbid, burnt to the frame and smoke arising from it. Not far, Hayner, Olette, Pence and some other kids were telling the adults and people were heading for it. 

"Heh, I know what I'm doing. So stay out of it, this isn't even your world." Axel said, smirking. Mewtwo's eyes narrowed.

"**Neither is it yours,"** Metwo declared.

"Ah, but then again who cares." Axel stated.

"**Yen does,"**

Axel looked over to find the cat pokemon gone, he snarled.

_I'm going soft. Eh? _He looked over with interest towards the Woods; something of interest was there so he too, vanished.

Meanwhile, the sea had gone soft and the sea's endless roar came to a halt, everything seemed peaceful.

**The moon had completely vanished.**

* * *

"Oh, thank you so much Seifer!" a woman's voice said, a wiped out Seifer stood at the door, a little ways off Clover's parents were just as anxious with finding their daughter. 

"I was so worried," the woman, Kiki said thankfully. Seifer tried not to scowl, he was exhausted.

"Don't mention it," _Really. _ He thought darkly as he bid the woman good night and wandered off towards home. Kiki closed the door, her silvery hair darkening with the shadow of the door. There was still a bit of a party going on, but the noise was declining.

"Thank you Seifer…I don't know what to do with her anymore…" the woman said as she looked at the stairs, where up it one of her daughters was fast asleep.

**Normal POV**

Yen was deep in sleep, her chest falling and rising normally. Her comforter and blankets comfortably snuggled around her form. Her window left carelessly unlocked, making it easy for her visitor to watch her.

_We lack emotions, but you show them like you have them. Is it just you or…do we actually have them? _Axel thought as he sat at her window sill, his boots set off her bed, his cloak dangling off her bed, leaving him in his black pants and shirtless.

With the utmost care, Axel shifted and stroked her cheek with one finger.

_Get some sleep Yenchrx…I'll keep watch for you._


	10. Nobody's Thankful

**..::Part IX::..**

**..::Nobody's Thankful::..**

**Yen's POV**

_P squared divided by four multiplied by fifteen…let's see, complete crap. _I mentally moaned, I **loathed** mathematics with a passion, _Geometry's easy they say…pff…_ sure it was easy in the first few weeks, but then when the second quarter came around soon after Halloween, I dreaded the subject. Why the hell would I care about the dog and its stupid leash's length?

Didly squat, that's how much.

"No Yen, it's fourteen times six, see, there are six sides and since their right angles-" Poor Pence, here he was attempting to get my brain to absorb this crud and his words just go through one ear and out the other. Not that I'm not trying, it just doesn't make any sense to me, it's like a virus, my brain cells don't recognize or accept the stubborn knowledge so it tries to destroy it.

In a way, it does make sense. It just mimics the immune system.

I looked idly to the left, my back slightly slouched. My eyes gazed at the clock of the Twilight High library. _We've been here for four hours already?_ And since we were in the middle of autumn, night was coming down on us pretty fast, when winter rolled around it would've been dark by now.

"-then two times two and with this arc-"

_I wonder what Axel's doing?_

"-and it's a third of the circle so we times this by-"

_And Seifer and Vivi and Fuu? All right, and Rai too…_

"-you bring it up here and divide it by ten and-"

_I still can't believe Dad invited Grandma Pinako…_

"…Yen? Do you even know the difference between a circle and a triangle?"

_She'll bite my head off, sure not Fuu's, MINE!_

"Are you even listening to me?"

_Maybe it's because I'm the only one who reacts to anything; Fuu isn't that much fun to toy with I'll admit to that. She isn't even our real grandmother, just a friend of our long now-decaying one._

"I'll take that as a no, so I'll resort to Plan 2."

_At least Winry and Den will come I suppose I can be happy about that…_

"Oh great, you really are going to make me resort to Plan B aren't you?"

_I bet more than anything Axel will show up when Grandma's around and eh…?_

My eyes were blank for a moment, I saw Roxas' face, a huge, cheesy smile plastered to his face but as my eyes traveled down I saw a rather nice six-pack and – WHOA! WHAT THE FRIGGIN' HELL!?!?!?!!?!?!

"I'm sorry, but you weren't paying attention. But now I see why you're grades going down in geometry." Pence explained. I glared at him harshly; I had nearly fallen backwards in the chair, if it hadn't been for Pence who caught my chair-

"Um…"

"Sorry Roxas," Pence said, I about pounded Pence, sorry my ass! My face had to be a blister-red by now!

Roxas had been the one who had truly caught my chair, staring over my head at the picture from a magazine with a man possibly on steroids where everything but the head (where a picture of Roxas' head was taped on) was clearly seen. At least the model was wearing a pair of whitey-tighties!

"_Peeencceee…"_ I snarled, my pitch dangerously low. Pence's eyes grew wide; I wasn't in any mood for that right now. Why not you may ask? Simple, I still wasn't getting any sleep and attitude has only been worsening, and it didn't help when my 'curse of the month' came around yesterday.

"Sorry! I'm only trying to lighten the atmosphere." Pence apologized, I kind of cooled my jets then, I sighed and leaned back in the chair, where Roxas finally released his grip on it and snatched the paper from Pence's grasp.

I watched as Pence grumbled something incoherent as Roxas crumbled the paper into a ball and shot it perfectly into the recycling box. Narrowly missing a tissue paper turkey that was stupidly placed near it, it was like it was asking to be dropped into the red box. Poor guy, it seemed someone put good work into him as well.

The feathers were cool, as in purple, blue and green. His eyes the kind you glued on with little balls zooming about inside the plastic, the rest of the body brown and little pieces of wood for feet.

He looked at me blankly.

Yeah, Thanksgiving was tomorrow, and like before Halloween, I haven't seen hair or hide of Organization XIII, but that made me very nervous. Marluxia, Zexion nor Axel had made appearances and I began to think they would pull the same stunt they did to me on Thanksgiving like Marluxia did on Halloween. Axel's perverse nature didn't help that strange situation either.

However, since then I looked up these Saturanian Bloodsuckers that girlie petal guy, Marluxia mentioned.

Not a handsome bunch, similar to Medusa they can turn their victims, excluding users, into stone and swallow them and still find them nutritional. That's a hardy plant for you. Yet since no one could ever get a shot of them, there was never a picture, seeing as the users/gardeners preferred to keep it that way so they didn't give any illustrations either.

Sure was friendly of them, but that didn't matter, I couldn't see one anyway unless I had a death wish and ran across Marluxia again.

"Still with us Yen?" Pence said, I blinked and snapped my head towards him.

"Uh…now I am." I replied, smiling nervously. To top it all off, my friends were starting to get suspicious. Like you can blame me, when you're confronted by a dark order and get tangled into something you can't help or understand, you would start acting a little weird too. And I wasn't a good actress.

Hayner caught on first, than Olette and sure to follow Roxas and Pence. Fuu never gave me any indication she has noticed and I haven't been around her gang enough for them to give anymore care about me than before. However, Seifer was a different story. He hadn't gone near me since before Marluxia came around.

In fact, I'm almost a hundred percent sure he has been avoiding little old me. Whenever I turned around and see him, he would obviously see me first somehow and already be out of earshot. I wonder if he was more than suspicious, thoughts that came to me and scared me more than what my friends were thinking.

Could Seifer possibly know what's going on? 

Well, not all of what was going on, I didn't have the complete story yet myself. Maybe he had an inkling and he was keeping watch from a distance, which would explain to me, the feeling of being watched the past several weeks.

"Hey Yen, Hayner wanted me to ask you whether you've seen Olette lately? He says she hadn't been looking very well since fourth block and he hasn't seen her since she excused herself from the room." Roxas explained to me, our eyes locking.

_Olette going missing? Could this possibly be another task pulled off by the Org.? Nah, she isn't reckless at all. However, those stupid vanishing and reappearing black holes those guys have do come in handy…_ No matter how I looked at it, I got all the more concerned.

**What would they want with Olette anyway?** That crossed my mind a lot, but another question roared back.

**What did they want with Clover in the first place?** That was the opposition, but nothing connected. Was Organization XIII truly a dark band going out for young girls for pleasure? If it was, why was Clover unharmed? Sure, she had a few cuts and scrapes, but compared to what she could've gotten, well…it didn't happen so I didn't think more of it.

It just disturbed me greatly that things were getting worse, these guys were involving my friends, and even if I didn't know Clover, I knew she was a good kid. She was volunteer-happy yes, but she spent as much time caring for her sick mother at home and taking on strange jobs such as pet sitting.

She was a sweet girl I realized the day after Halloween when she woke up, she thanked both Seifer and me with her utmost gratitude, even if all I did was cause more of burden. However, at least she managed to get through to Seifer, where I couldn't even get near him.

Next to that, she was starting to hang around us more, preferably Pence, who flushed each time she asked to sit next to him at the table. I found it amusing, seeing as not only me, but Hayner, Olette and Roxas peering over at Pence slyly. Each of us telling him to make a move.

But being Pence, he hasn't even gone far enough to ask her out. Pence was a good guy, a little on the chubby side but overall, a guy you could depend on. Sure he wasn't what you would call hot, but cute and reliable. VERY reliable.

"I haven't seen her, but I'll help you look." I stated, Roxas cast a quick glance over to Pence, who looked back strangely.

"He said that Olette wished to use the restroom, we would've probably found her by now, but seeing as she's a girl and we're guys…" I rolled my eyes, I've been here for a long time, do they really think Olette would still be in there-

"Hayner's been waiting outside of the restroom doing homework, asking a girl to see if she was in there, she said she still was. So, do you think you can go and check it out for us?" Roxas asked, sounding worried too. My shoulders slumped, such adorable puppy eyes…I envy him for it.

"Fine, I'll finish my homework later." It's been four hours, that's enough work to make it look like I did it anyway.

* * *

"Olette?" The sobbing I heard as soon as I opened the thick door came to an unsettling stop, the boys behind me listening. I shrugged them off and stepped inside, shutting the door behind me. Earlier I strictly told them to fend off anyone who wanted to come in; there were five other restrooms in this huge school anyway.

The lights were thankfully still on, I was thinking in this sort of dark atmosphere that Olette would be angsty enough to turn them off too. I sure hope she wasn't doing anything stupid…

"?" A sniff came to my ears; she was in the last stall. I carefully walked down the lined toilets, being careful not to alarm her too much.

Hey, I'm a girl; I would do the same thing if I heard someone calling for me in the restroom if I were crying too.

Now, if you and I both knew Olette was a nice girl with good grades, you would have to wonder why she would lock herself in the restroom long enough to confirm she was playing hooky. At least the teacher didn't give it much of a thought as Hayner said; saying Ms. Signe wasn't all that caring to begin with.

I lightly knocked my knuckles against the stall door, the only locked one.

"What happened? We're all worried you know." It was a clear statement, you weren't a friend if you didn't worry for those you called 'friends'. Unfortunately, the most of a reply I've gotten was a cross between a sniff and sob.

_How bad is this? _A tiny voice in the back of my head said that I should be very grateful that she wasn't kidnapped like I was originally thinking. I had to admit though, the voice was right. At least I knew where she was and I didn't have to worry about gaining some munny to get to Sunset…

"Olette, c'mon…it's only me, the guys are outside though. No worries about getting interrupted that way." I reassured her, something must have been bothering her for a while if she went this far being the goody two shoes she is.

"…" Ugh, come on Olette I feel like I'm talking to a big, thick, very thick, brick wall. No walls talk but just to emphasize it a little.

"Do you want me to get Hayner or-" _Click!_ She's unlocking the door; I stepped back, waiting for it to open. That was rather sudden, was it because I mentioned Hayner that would prove there was something going on between them. They would make an adorable couple now that I think about it…

When I saw flesh, I saw only fingers curl around the edge of the door, like she was depending on it to support her.

"You don't have to tell me…but if something had gotten to you this bad…I mean, you're going to have to talk to _someone_, you can't keep it bottled up…it'll hurt." I said reasonably, the only times I ever really think of what I'm saying are in these kind of situations or a serious crisis of some sort, like with Vivi.

"Whatever it is, it's hurting you – **bad**. Does it have something to do with Hayner?" I asked, trying to quiet my voice, even though the door to the restroom was relatively thick, Hayner and Roxas could've pulled out a sensitive hearing aide or something. You never know.

Still no response but a cracked sob, yes, my woman intuition (I do surprisingly have one), tells me it has to be something with a guy and that said guy is no other than Hayner.

I sighed; turning around slowly, I took a step towards the door when something caught onto my wrist.

_Aw, so she's still alive._ I looked around and spotted Olette's tear-strained face peering up at me, _begging_ it seemed, to not get Hayner. I could've started crying with a face like that directed at me. Her cheeks were redder than tomatoes and her usually semi-tanned complexion looked sickly pale.

_She's crying herself sick, I have to get someone…but…_ I can't just leave her, what the **_hell_** happened!?! Olette was NEVER **EVER _EVER_** like this for as long as I have known her. Who ever did this to her was going to pay for possibly their lunch munny and allowance, but also a lifetime of misery.

"Who was it? Who's on your mind that's making you this way?" I had to ask it severely irked me not knowing the pain-giver.

"…" I sighed.

* * *

"ACK! YOU BURNED THE TURKEY! HOW CAN YOU BURN THE FRIGGIN' TURKEY!?!" I ducked as a sizzling frying pan flew at my head, oh; I _love_ my 'grandma' Pinako. So much I would rebound that cooking metal back at her, but I might miss, seeing how small she is…

"I wasn't paying attention-" I muttered back weakly, I shouldn't really have bothered…

"Of _COURSE_ you weren't! You have the attention span of a rodent!" In case you were curious, we weren't really related in a grandparent-grandchild way, my dad, Asante, somehow 'befriended' the old hag in his kid days. Saying he had a fatherly role over Grandma's granddaughter, Winry Rockbell.

She's my unofficial cousin. Not even linked therefore unremoved, if she was somehow connected to our family more than just being family friends, she would've been removed for constant warfare with automail tools against the town gummi shop employees and just for her sudden tempers, only Grandma could cool her down.

"**HORRIBLE.**" Ah, my dearly beloved sister, Fuu.

"Hiya Sis," I greeted as I handed her the oven mitts, she took them without a blink or refusal. "You're insult is greatly appreciated, in such said way you will take my place." I then zoomed off with Grandma Pinako shouting after me-

"She could cook pigs bigger than this house blind-folded and one hand behind her back!"

It's nice to be loved, don't you think?

Okay, I'll admit it; coming to Winry in time of boredom isn't all that great. Instead of getting a good time of talking to her, I get a possibly endless list of how 'automail is the greatest invention on the planet'. I've never been this bored; it makes me recall memories.

"And here this gadget helps as a joint in the knee, these are the screws you have to be careful which one you'll pick, too small the knee will fall apart, too big it won't move at all-"

Winry seemed to excited; too bad I couldn't share the same enthusiasm. I hadn't an inkling of what she was going on about, something about building Ed together again…

Ed and Alphonse Elric, she talked about them often in these kind of 'conversations'.

Was I asleep yet?

"There you are, I knew you would be with Winry." It was Grandma Pinako; Winry was the only one of the two of us that managed to greet the old lady with a full-fledged grin.

"You need something Grandma?" Winry asked, Grandma Pinako edged out of the door and into the garage.

"I need you two to go and fetch another turkey, it seems the last one went up in flames – literally – and it's not really edible…" I could feel the old lady's eyes on me, boring a hole in between my shoulders.

Sure, blame me, even if it is my fault, still, don't blame me. No cooking skills whatsoever, did I mention I burned _soup_ once?

"Sure, will there be any left?" Winry asked somewhat worriedly.'

_Ha! No…_ I thought.

"Possibly not." She replied.

"Then what's the point of going?" I asked without turning around.

"Just so you get the feel of spoiling everyone's dinner tonight?" She didn't mean it, it was in a joking manner because she laughed at herself for it, but it did make me feel a little guilty.

"I'm sure there has to be at least a few or so left unsold." Winry tried to sound optimistic wasn't working really.

"Yeah, the bad ones." Grandma Pinako stated roughly. I mentally growled, just one blasted turkey right?

"Why don't we just go and hunt one? They're native here," I said. Winry looked at me.

"Really?"

"No."

"That wasn't funny Yen,"

"Wasn't meant to be, just being sarcastic."

"Well, get your sarcastic ass out of here and find a turkey and walked around feeling guilty, there is still everything else to get done so you might as well do something almost productive." Grandma Pinako stated as she went back inside.

"Here, I'll go with you." Winry suggested.

_Woopee…_

* * *

About twenty minutes before dinner was bound to start, here I was still treading up and down the streets of Twilight Town on Thanksgiving Eve, if there ever was such a thing. It wasn't really that bad, I was thankful that Winry was with me, to spoil the silence that was following me for a while.

However, it didn't distract me from the incident with Olette the other day. It still saddened me…

It turns out, Olette hadn't gotten this depressed in a matter of moments, she had been holding in something for a very long time.

* * *

_Flashback_

"_Y-You know I like Hayner don't you?" Olette asked, her sobs quieting down a little._

"_It was obvious that you two liked each other yeah, why? Were you rejected or something?" Such bad timing, Olette almost broke down from that, I jumped and rushed through my brain for something comforting to say._

"_What happened Olette?"_

_It took her a moment, but she finally replied._

"_This morning…after getting a little brave, I spotted him in the hall…and…and I went up to him, he was alone so I thought…it might be a good opportunity to ask him – out…and, when I finally did, he looked at me coldly and told me he could never like anyone like me more than a friend." She said the last so quietly I had to strain my ears._

_I had to strain them even more and have her repeat herself to believe what they told me._

_Hayner would say something like that? No way, he would never say something like that…Hayner didn't think that way._

"_Forget about it Olette, I'll talk to him-" She clung to me for the second time, eyes big._

"_Don't talk to him Yen, I'll talk to him…"_

"_If you don't, I will, I'll give you till tomorrow okay?" I wasn't going to go easy on something so un-trivial, Olette's heart was breaking, she needed to get the antidote and she was the only one that could fetch it._

"_All right…"_

_The funny thing is, when she told me to leave and let her be for a while, when I walked outside, the guys were standing there. Hayner among them the most concerned, did he really say something like that? He looked too worried and didn't look regretful, something must have happened that Hayner wasn't apart of._

_And I had a strong sense of who could be behind it all…_

_End of flashback_

* * *

Organization XIII, the only solution that came to me, they could stop time and summon man-eating plants, why not clone someone and use them to their advantage? Perfectly capable no? Because I wouldn't believe, not even for a second that Hayner would do something so cruel.

"You still with me Yen?"

"No – I mean yes, yes, what is it?" I asked; jumpy. Winry sent me a strange look.

"You okay?"

"Yeah, just a little out of it is all." I couldn't really just go and spill my guts, mind you Winry wouldn't possibly get the gist of it anyway.

"Oh, all right. Hm?" Winry looked up ahead of us, her eyes getting big. I looked up too, just to fell the soft breeze freeze and Winry stock-still.

Axel.

"You don't seem so happy to see me," Axel said, hands behind his back.

"What are you up to?" I asked curiously. Axel gave a shrug of his shoulders and sent a charming smile towards me, I felt my cheeks burn, I cursed my skin for being fair.

Then as fast as the time came to a halt, it came rushing back just as fast.

"Yo," Axel greeted, it surprised me he hadn't up and vanished. I watched him suspiciously.

"Hello?" Winry replied, sort of confused herself, though not for the same reason.

"I'm just here to deliver a package for you two, heard that you were having some _poultry crisis_ at home." Axel said, I raised a brow and Winry cocked her head to the side. Of course he would know, he's _stalking_ ME.

"A package?" I questioned, Axel stepped closer and I heard Winry hold her breath, she apparently had as much trust in the pyromaniac as I did. Wait…_pyromaniac?_

He shifted his arms behind his back and pulled them around, an already roasted turkey in his palms.

"Are you serious?" Winry asked, both of us caught by surprise. Axel went through the trouble of getting and cooking one for us, or was it just me? With this _untamed_ kind of guy, you could never tell could you?

"For you, safe, and completely free." Axel said.

"What's the catch?" I asked, my voice very suspicious.

"_Tsk, tsk,_ I'm only being a friend." Axel said, looking at me, I was very thankful he wasn't sending me another one of those smiles, they seemed to be my only blush turn-on.

"Oh, you two know each other?" Winry asked, taking the turkey, Axel, obviously happy being free of the bird burden happily straightened up.

"You could say that," Axel said in a conspicuous tone, Winry glanced at me with a knowing look.

"You two going out?" she asked, just being curious but her questions were harmful.

"No," I said quickly, Axel waved a hand; smirking at me. I tried not to smack him, I really did.

"Not _yet_," Axel concluded.

_Do not lash out and hit him with all your might, do NOT lash out and hit him with all your might, DO NOT lash out and hit him with all your might…_I mentally repeated this phrase over and over as Axel continued to smirk and Winry got starry-eyed.

"I'll take my leave, work needs me. Later my Albino Weasel." He said as he hurried off and around a corner, possibly to vanish into a dark hole.

Then Winry turned on me.

"YOU HAVE A BOYFRIEND!?!" Winry cried energetically.

"No."

"What's his name?!"

"Axel. He's not my boyfriend."

"He's _hawt_ Yen! You're so lucky!"

"Not really."

"He called you Albino Weasel!"

"Is that really a complement?"

"It's a petname!"

"It's an insult."

"He said '_MY Albino Weasel'_!"

Winry was the true hopeless romantic of the two of us.

When we got home, Winry pretty much announced it to my parents, my sister, her grandmother and the dog, Den. And the turkey and dinner that was set nicely at the table.

"Yen's got a boyfriend!"

I sincerely wanted to melt into the ground and die. Or it could work the other way around too. I just hated the way Grandma Pinako was laughing her head off and scoffing me at the same time about my inability of attracting any straight guy and my parents questioning me on when their meeting him and what he's like. These were the times I loved Fuu, she didn't question anything. But now, she broke that love code.

"**NAME?**"

"Yeah, what was his name?"

"Axel."

"Isn't that part of a wheel?"

"Look! He even gave us an already roasted turkey!"

"Sure was nice of him…"

"He's smitten with you Yen! I mean! He gave you a TURKEY!"

God, I would be thankful if I could summon those stupid black holes right now and vanish into Oblivion.

_Happy Thanksgiving to me…_

* * *

**A/N:**

_Late Merry Christmas! Yeah, day after X-mas and I posted a Thanksgiving chappy. Sorry, I'm slow on the typing and motivation. Anyway, I'm perfectly happy right now except for the fact I have to get up at 4:30 AM tomorrow to baby-sit, yay, but other than that, I got an Ipod Nano, YAY! Okay, I'll see you guys later! __  
_


	11. The Empty Pulse

**..::Part X::..**

**..::That Empty Pulse::.. **

"Roxas and Yen! You two will be partners, no _complaining!_" Ms. Signe cried, I snapped out of my daydream.

_Partners? For what?_ I sent a questioning glance towards Roxas, whom sat in the seat next to me, he caught on to my confusion and only shook his head, knowing full well my mind was elsewhere in the past ninety minutes.

* * *

"I just _fail_ in the _Attention in class_ part of the whole report." I complained, despite Ms. Signe's order, but then again, do any of us honestly listen to every detail of our teacher's instructions anyway?

Roxas gave a sigh, but he looked up at me expectedly anyway. Oh right, I was the highest grade in the class, reasonable for someone who knows fluent French but has no clue how she learned it anyway.

"All we have to do-" There I go again, oh so typical.

Five minutes later we get to my house, this is the first time Roxas had ever visited my place, in fact, the others haven't been inside since a year ago, it was mostly because of Fuu, you know? She and her alliance to Seifer-_sama_. Note the sarcasm folks.

Therefore, when I opened the door and allowed Roxas in, he was kind of dumbfounded.

The entrance wasn't all that great; my mother was a neat freak so everything was pretty much just about perfect. And because Fuu's hardly in the house and I'm confined to my room every time I come back, we don't cause enough turmoil to mess the house up, so that keeps my mom just to dusting.

On the side of the hall was a cherry-wood stand, a tall vase of bright tulips stood on it, a large mirror behind it; nailed to the wall.

"Wow…" Roxas was stupefied, I didn't care. My feet making a clapping noise every time they made impact with the clean, wooden floor, I approached the carpeted stairway.

"C'mon Roxas, let's get started." _Actually, that would be you getting started!_ Because I hadn't a clue what we were doing.

Slowly, he raised his eyes and nodded, then followed me up the stairs.

* * *

There was no way we were going to MY room; messy, _VERY _messy. Most artists are slobs you know!

I noticed Roxas eyeing the closed doors (there were two of them, both belonging to either Fuu or me). I suppose he felt weird being in a new place with me, he and Hayner were the best friends, I was just a friend. Nothing closer nor more than a friend.

"We'll work in the study, my dad doesn't get home till twelve anyway." I said, pushing open a door at the end of the hall with a sign hanging on to the front that says 'In love with work', a large red heart encircling it.

I don't know why, but it always intrigued me, and that feeling too, made me baffled. Why was I so interested in a pitifully drawn _heart_? It had no meaning to me.

After entering and waking up the computer, it turns out we are suppose to make a cultural report of the French ancestors, it wasn't all fascinating. Not at all.

In fact, so interesting, that I typed so slowly I probably made a turtle proud of its speed.

Therefore the much faster Roxas took over and we were done within the hour.

"Let's head out, does ice cream sound good?" I asked, trying desperately for a relaxing conversation, have you ever been stuck alone with people you were all right with but just couldn't figure out what to talk about without it ending abruptly? That was what it felt like, Roxas wasn't much of a talker; he was more like a listener or possibly out in outer space.

"Sure, sea-salt?" Roxas questioned, I resisted rolling my eyes before looking back at him.

"What else?" Man, that stuff hooked the whole group, yeah, it was good, but still…

* * *

_I couldn't even resist them!_ I mentally cried as I licked away at the cold goodness. Roxas, being the nice, kind lad he was, paid for the both of us.

"These things are so addicting," I said, thinking out loud mostly. Roxas smiled.

"Yeah," he agreed, we were unconsciously heading for the clock tower, weird but heading that way with sea-salt ice cream was just telling our bodies to climb up those seemingly endless stairs and sit on the edge of the top of the tower, if one of us were to ever fall, whoa…I wouldn't like the ending to that…gross.

And sad, very sad.

"Um…Yen?" We've reached the door and we successfully unlocked it with the usual jab of a hair clip from yours truly. We did this all the time, caught on occasion, but since we were here all the time and never caused trouble, no one really cared, not even the tower's caretaker, Mr. Shobey.

"Yeah?" I responded as I turned the knob and headed inside, Roxas right behind me.

After shutting the door and slowly making our ways up did Roxas speak again.

"Is it…have you…ever felt you never truly cared?" _Hm, that was new, I wonder where this came from…_ I thought, Roxas acted strange, but once you think about it, everyone IS strange. Hayner's addiction to struggling, Olette for always wanting to shop at the most inopportune times, Pence and his brainy brain, and me, for being not only albino but with a lack of interest, wait…I think I know what Roxas is getting at…

"I mean…um…"

"I think I do, you mean as in daily activities and you lack any motivation at all?" I replied as we approached the top of the stairs.

"Kind of, but, it's a bit more than that…" Roxas obviously couldn't find the proper words, maybe it was one of those feelings you couldn't explain, or he could just be confused by something.

"Is something going on?" I asked cautiously, Roxas was a friend, but none of us, not even Hayner knew much about him. He came here from 'moving', which was thought impossible by people originally born here, everyone I knew then, I knew now.

The only ones I'm sure ever 'moved' were the merchants that helped with merchandise for our shops on Market Street. I've never even seen them either now that I think about it.

"No! Nothing bad is going on with me, but I'm sort of…_curious_ about Hayner and O-"

"Oh, them?" _I wonder if she had talked to him yet?_ I hadn't really kept that vow I made to myself; I hadn't seen much of Olette since that day the guys urged me into the restroom to talk to her.

However, as sure as I am that Olette likes Hayner, I'm absolutely certain that Hayner would NEVER say anything like that.

"Yeah, what happened? You don't have to tell me but…" Roxas trailed off, at a loss as we went through the door and the sun beamed down at us, I slowly shut the door behind Roxas then jumped about before making a seat on a stone block.

"Pop a squat Roxas, I like saying that." I grinned insanely; (totally changing the subject) my grin grew wider as I noticed Roxas giving me a weird look before shaking his head with humor.

"You're _interesting_," he admitted as he took a seat beside her, finishing off his ice cream, mine was almost gone too.

"How so?" I asked patiently, as long as this ice cream sat in my hand, I could wait for the world to end.

"You…remind me, of…me, that's what's interesting." Roxas said, I raised a brow and looked at him, I was like him? Really? I never really put any thought into comparing myself with other people; I never gave a hoot.

"It's…weird, I have the _strangest_ dreams, I don't know what they're about, but…the same people, the same faces, the same voices and a name that's always cut off…they're there every night…" I couldn't tell if he was talking to me or talking his thoughts out loud.

"What does that have to do with me being like you?" I asked curiously. He blinked, looking from me and back to his remaining ice cream, which was currently melting.

"I dunno, I just _feel_ that you're like _me_," Roxas claimed, he seemed somewhat relieved, but I wasn't sure. Was he content with the fact that someone (even if they doubt it) was similar to him or her? I couldn't make sense out of it.

"I honestly don't know what you're talking about, but the dreams are an easy one." I said, knowing full well that what I was about to say came from some fortune advertisement I found when I was bored one day on the computer, surfing the net.

"What?" he was greatly interested, maybe he had been dreaming so often of these said people that he was probably getting into ghost stories and stuff.

"They're memories from your past life, the life you had before this." I said, yep, random advertisements on random websites could kill one's abundant supply of brain cells. I knew that first-hand, okay, back to subject.

"Do you think so?" he asked, before looking out as the sun slowly descended from the height it held at noon. The sky changing at the same pace into cooler colors.

"I don't know," I admitted, he almost body-faulted off the tower. "Careful now," I didn't want to explain to the gang and the rest of the town and his parents and the mayor why Roxas' once intact body lay scattered and smashed on the lovely cement ground below.

"Sorry," he replied before cleaning his hand of sea-salt ice cream as it dripped down to his fingers with his tongue.

_Sweet, confused guy he is…_ I wasn't a therapist or a good thinker by nature, but I knew a person that wished for the good by first sight, well, not all the time.

"Is it all right not to feel…_concerned?_" I looked at him; he was looking up; pondering. Was he talking about Hayner and Olette again, this guy made questions run zigzags and laps around in my head. Just when you thought you could get to him, he rebounds back and throws you into a sea of confusion.

Roxas IS an ocean of question marks.

"I guess so, I mean, do you mean when it comes to not caring about others or about things like chores?" I have to admit it was starting to scare me, while Roxas appeared puzzled, I was starting to sweat. I had never thought of these things, and now that he was mentioning it, I was beginning to wonder to…

Had I ever shown any undying loyalty or certain kindness? Had I every truly cared for someone with all my heart? Fuu? Mom and Dad? Hayner, Olette and Pence? Roxas? Axel?

My head was beginning to throb.

For the first time, I was giving any thought to my personal beliefs, what I had been taught this whole time, priorities, goals, _life…_my heart was in nothing!

In fact, I had such great disinterest; everything hit me at once. I never really cared had I? I just befriended everyone – no, I did befriend them…

I felt them… 

"What…are we Roxas?"

Axel… 

"We're different," was all he said as he looked out at sea, it was cool with that warm feeling searing through you, whether the ocean reflected off his eyes or his eyes reflected off the ocean I didn't care, but it was fascinating. Someone so strong and … _just by being him_ had these things going through his head.

They make you feel warm… 

"They make you feel nice inside, don't they?" Roxas asked, I peered at him, already knowing whom he was referring to.

_Hayner._

_Olette._

_Pence._

_Fuu._

_Vivi._

_Seifer?_

"Yeah, you?" He only nodded briefly, so, we were the same. How he knew that before me I hadn't a clue, but…

Finishing off my ice cream, I gave him a good look.

"What do you think we are?" Now that a pulsing empty feeling had come to life inside me (probably been there I just didn't give a damn to notice it before now), I was hungry for answers.

"Who knows, _nobodies_?" He joked lightly, a smile tugged at my lips before as if someone whispered into my ear-

"_**Ooh. Snappy, you don't take to people do you? There's no worries then, since we're just not **people**."**_

My eyes widened, that was Axel, I was sure of it, no one could imitate his wild nature that runs loose even in his voice!

But that wasn't all, someone else answered.

"_**Really? What are you then a **cockroach**?"**_

That's…that's…me? No, that just sounded A LOT like me, not entirely, but her voice was deeper, but somehow_, it was me…_

And just as quickly as before, the soft whisperer vanished, things were coming to me, and Axel somehow involved himself without doing it intentionally. And pardon me but he seems to be a guy that does the intentional, he doesn't strike me as one that would not know what was not going on.

_Perverted Manipulator?_

Axel was a smart-ass that was for sure, no doubt about it. But manipulator? As in fox? Snake? Cunning wit?

He hid his secrets well; his eyes gleamed of a lovely, but unimaginable power I don't believe I had encountered. I knew it was something lethal, something that could kill mercilessly. Was Axel a cold-blooded killer? You don't pick boys out like that in school, not even Seifer, whom I had to admit had some sort of dignity, was that unreadable.

"We're not _people_," _I know that, something in my gut tells me so, as well as this…_ I closed my eyes, trying to decipher that empty feeling that pulsed within my being.

_I think I don't have the memories, I'm supposed to have._

"The sun's setting," Roxas spoke a few minutes later, before he had silently agreed with me, now, he was longing for a different discussion, I couldn't blame him.

"It's so gorgeous," I announced as I threw the ice cream stick into a garbage can (placed by the caretaker for some reason, or was it his urge to keep the clock tower clean?) before standing up on the stone block and shifting to one foot, hand on hip.

"And considerate," Roxas added, yeah, I knew what he meant, even though we weren't like other people, the sun and her brother the moon, still showed their beauty for us, they appeared no different than for other people who had different eyes for them.

_I wonder how long it'll last._ I thought as the sun was halfway out of sight.

_This place isn't for us; someone will come for us…eventually._

As I thought that, I closed my eyes, then bracing myself for the exposure to the dying sun again, I reopened them. The sun was almost gone, but the light still stayed strong, strong enough for me to spot Mewtwo not too far, but far enough not to catch Roxas' eye, but to catch mine.

He hovered over a peek of a building, standing on it without actually touching it, his amethyst eyes on me.

With that look and message no sort of communication could've sent me went through my mind, _something_ was out they're scheming for us. The question was not the _who_, but _when_ would they come for us and _why_?

We weren't people, not completely. So what use were we to people we didn't know?

Mewtwo hadn't blinked, but with my next blink, he was gone.

Roxas stared on as the last of the sun vanished and the first set of stars awoke.

_**By which the sky melts and seeks out the Spy.**_

* * *

**A/N: **

_LOL, yay here's another chappy! I'm sorry if it sounds a little boring, but then again not all chapters are fun ones, some just have to be based on character building, growing bonds and learning information._

_ Anyway, good news, I can give you a bit of an idea for the next chapter, isn't that exciting? Things are gonna get more interesting and Axel and other Org. better start showing faces cause I, the author of Unwritten Secret must allow more hotties into this story! Okay, shutting up now._

**Next Chapter focuses more on:**

The first case of stolen words! You think the nobody at the beginning of the game was the first one! Now you'll learn more to why everyone in town blames Roxas and co.!

Also, a new keyblade is in the works! I thought at the end of KH2 where there was like a graveyard of keyblades, I was thinking, _wouldn't it be cool if there were numerous keyblade weilders like Sora, Riku, Mickey and Kairi at one time? Maybe there are others on other worlds that can weild them too, they just hadn't run into them!_ So, there are going to be a couple of anime/OC/more Disney characters weilding keyblades later in this story. Just ones that haven't been mentioned in the KH series yet.

Oh, this isn't in the next chap (or is it?), but if any of you are wondering how the heck Chenry became a nobody in the first place by Nobody weapons, you'll soon find out!

All right LATER GATORS!


	12. The Secretive Loner

**..::Part XI::..**

**..::The Secretive Loner::..**

"_Break it up you – FOUR?! What's the meaning of this?!" A teacher shrieked, sure enough, Ms. Signe came bursting out of the front doors with the principle and the wrestling coach. _

_Students that assembled around the fight looked at the three adults heading their way before darting from the scene of the crime. _

_Though, not only had three of the staff came rushing out, the 'Disciplinary Committee' joined in._

"_**PETTY.**" Fuu's voice said without emotion, but I knew there was anger hidden in the depths of my sister as I struggled tirelessly against her tight hold on my arms from the back._

"_GET OFF!" I was livid, that crazy feeling that swelled inside of me wasn't fading and the rage just kept growing, like poison ivy weaving its way inside of me and settling into my flesh, as if wanting to take hold of my actions._

_They only did bad things._

"_**SILENCE.**" I don't know what I was thinking, hell, I didn't know what I was **doing**. However, that poison ivy crawled through my weakest point, the empty pulse._

_It filled it with darkness, yet…not all the way. It gave me a sense of something 'unfinished'; incomplete. My skin ached with my unfeeling movements as I flailed, Fuu, I noticed with my crazed mind was having a hard time holding me back. _

_Where did this strength come from? I was NEVER stronger than Fuu, but I wasn't thinking this rationally at the moment. All I knew was that I was overpowering her and I was going to be free soon._

_From that lurid prick where my heart should be._

_I was numb to it all, my throat was hoarse and I could barely make out what people were saying my vision was blurred but my victims were in clear view of my brainless instinct. They weren't fighting like I was, after heart pounding moments they began to calm._

_One boy was in the same hold as I was in, though the one holding him back was Rai. The dark-skinned boy looked heavily pleased; smug and confident as the boy went limp and mumbled something._

_The principal and wrestling coach held the other two. Where had that French witch gone off to?_

_However, my mind didn't care, as soon as I felt that minute touch of freedom from Fuu's released grasp I leaped from that place and lunged at the leader of the trio – Trenton Hideler._

_His eyes went wide as he spotted me in definite vengeance (though I do not remember for) as I neared him. Everything seemed to slow, like in a slow motion film._

_But it all came to a crashing stop – literally._

_One moment I was in the air, on my way to tear the bastard apart then the next, my body (face-first) went pelting into the moist, browning grass. I was horribly bruised up from that, I could also feel my cheeks bleeding and teeth throbbing, my nose no better. My legs were limp, as if now figuring how tired they were._

_In fact, feeling instantly climbed into my Nervous system and I inwardly moaned with pain. Especially my arms, which were held and pressed firmly into the ground by someone attempting to push sense into my head._

"_What the freakin' hell are you trying to pull Yen!?" _

_The voice was masculine, it might have been Seifer, but I didn't care. My eyelids drooped, and as my face was still carved into the ground, I passed out._

* * *

I woke the next day, feeling more out of place than I had the day before and possibly the rest of my life before in Twilight Town. I didn't understand it at first until I remembered my talk with Roxas; we weren't _like people in Twilight Town_. 

There was definitely something different from us, something that made us stand apart from even Hayner, Olette and Pence.

Then there was that fight yesterday…

That morning, I felt something stirring within me. Something, **terrible**, _wild_ and **_serene_** at the same time. That empty pulse was beginning to diminish now, though I still knew it was there, where my _heart_ should be.

I put myself in a new wardrobe today, something that suited my mood; something _dark_.

**Something that proved I wasn't the girl neither I nor anyone else knew anymore, _the old Yen had gone._**

I ended up dressing myself in a tight black vest with silver zippers and their trails along two of the top of my chest pockets as well as a tight turtleneck. A long-sleeved, white shirt beneath it and a pair of baggy, black jeans with a couple of chains. I didn't even know I owned this black stuff, but I admired the outfit anyway.

Slipping on a pair of my usual, every-day trainers I turned to the mirror. My hair was getting long; the white framed my face and lasts a little past my shoulders. Fuu's was shorter, just above the shoulders, but I planned a different style.

By the time I left that morning, it was noon and my albino features had stood out more than ever as I approached the Usual Spot.

* * *

_Yo Yen,_

_We're off to Jackie's place, heard Tohru discovered a new dish! Meet us there when you get this okay?_

_Hayner, Olette and Pence_

* * *

I sighed as I flipped the post-it note over, finding nothing on the back I put it down again and turned around. I had that eerie feeling I was being watched. I didn't like that. 

Not one bit.

* * *

"Holy…" 

"_Crap…"_

Hayner and Pence stared at me like I had come back from rehab, their mouths ajar and eyes wide. They sat at a round, red table inside the glass windows of the store the Chans owned. Lovely images of the Chinese zodiac animals danced across the walls and people in the streets walked briskly to their destination. The temperature was dropping, seeing as winter was starting to hit them harshly.

I had only split my bangs and pushed them to either side, the rest cropped a little below my ears. After I hacked it all off, I figured boys had the right idea, despite how could it is it was a nice feeling to the back of my neck.

"Yen…?"

"What?" I said monotone.

Worry etched their faces, they knew very well what happened the day before, what had caused it and why I had ever acted that way they never stood a chance of finding out.

That's only because I don't know either.

"You're new…_look_…?" Pence were nervous, his brows furrowed as he looked at me, but I avoided any sort of eye contact. I was afraid what I might see in their eyes would trigger something, since all I remember from yesterday's fight was looking into Trenton's eyes…

"What of it?" I don't know why I bothered coming, it was pointless, with my new attitude I would be doing nothing but annoying others, in a bad way.

"Whoa, what happened to you?" It was Jade; her spunky attitude had always been a cross between inspiration and irritation. She was only twelve or so, but she acted like a five-year-old. Yet despite her nature, she was relatively good at finding out information.

A great spy she will be no?

"Killed someone, they killed me back, I went to Hell and was sent back from the fear I would take over the Underworld." I replied sarcastically, an amused smile making its way to my face, but I stopped short. That empty pulse had returned…

"I don't think that was what I was going for…" Jade muttered as she glowered at me, I shrugged. I gave her an answer; that should satisfy her.

But this WAS Jade we were talking about.

"Guys, got the food and is Yen here? I could've sworn-" Olette came around the corner and dropped her food, thankfully Roxas was there and had caught the tray before its content were splattered against the floor.

"Nice catch Roxas," Hayner couldn't help but say as Olette gaped at me.

Did I honestly look that different?

I had only cut my hair a _little._

"What did you _do_ Yen?" I could see fear in Roxas' eyes; I knew what he was thinking about. He was secretly thinking that he had caused this change, even if it was in a small way.

"I'm an agent from Hell-"

"She cut her hair and stole the Punk Reaper's wardrobe." Hayner put it bluntly, looking back at me as if he were an older brother with a demanding gaze.

"_Agent from Hell?"_ Olette questioned, cocking her head as she sat down beside Hayner, Roxas next to her and Pence, they all looked up at me, as if I were a new girl they knew nothing about; how they looked at Serenity on her first day in the cafeteria…

"It's nothing, did you get something for me or do I have to go and get something?" I asked somewhat reluctantly. A gap between us had split; it was an awkward question despite the innocence of it.

"Um, yes! I got you something, here's your ------------ huh?" Olette gasped as she looked through the Chinese bag, she looked up at them.

"There's nothing in here!" Olette claimed.

"What, there was ---- in it a minute ago, wait?" Roxas sent her a questioning gaze.

"What the hell? What are you guys talking about?" Hayner asked, I sat down, curious too.

"I'm saying our ---- is gone!" Olette said, afraid, as the word she wanted wouldn't come out.

"So is the word!" Roxas said, he looked somewhat frazzled. "You do know what we're saying right?"

"----?" Pence tried, unable to say it either. I watched as Hayner followed, this time, I had no doubt. This was HEAVILY abnormal.

It _was_ Organization XIII's doing.

I'm certain.

I went running outside, the door slamming back open behind me, I whirled around to see who was following me, but hesitated and straightened my figure.

"Roxas?" I questioned, looking at him. The snow was still coming down, at this rate we would have a snow day tomorrow…

"What happened? It was my fault wasn't it?" Roxas asked, uncertainly but he looked like he believed it was his fault.

"Nah, you just pointed out something I should've known is all." I said, then I quickly added "That fight…I don't know how it started, it wasn't you Roxas."

Roxas looked at me doubtfully.

"Well, isn't this cute?" The masculine voice of Seifer interceded, Roxas and I jumped and looked up at him, Fuu, Rai and Vivi behind him. "Roxas confessing his love? Please tell me you're going to reject him Yen? His look would be _priceless_."

"Shut it Seifer," I growled, my eyes narrowing on him.

"Ooh, what's with the trendy new look Yen? Trying to imitate Fuu now?" Seifer pressed, folded his well-built arms and peered at me with a smug look. I mentally growled.

_Just don't look him in the eyes!_

"What is it Seifer?" Roxas asked with a frown, he was as reluctant as I was not to start a fight, or maybe it was because of the fight I involved myself in yesterday…

"Nothing to do with you, or…maybe it is." Seifer said as he looked at Roxas then back to me, pointing a finger at his cheek and giving me a proud look.

"Think better next time will you?" Seifer remarked, he was referring to my cheek he tore yesterday when he rammed me into the ground. I applied a new bandage to it this morning, fortunately it had clotted…

"The day I'll take orders from you." I retorted, hands clenching into fists, Fuu eyed me, for once, she didn't seem to know how to read her sister. It was like I was a whole new thing to her that she wasn't sure how to analyze.

"What is it Sis?" I asked, looking at her, Fuu remained motionless without an expression, looking at me like a statue.

"**STUPID.**" I couldn't say I wasn't taken back, Fuu _could_ and _had_ read me like an open book, even as confused as I was now. But the fact that she had no idea what was going on _inside_ of me was reassuring; she would never figure THAT out…

"Whatever you say," I replied, giving a smug look of my own.

"So…anyway, mind telling me what's with the ---- problem?" Seifer asked, I blinked and gained an innocent expression. They couldn't say it either? Had Organization XIII effected all of Twilight Town?

"You can't say ---- either?!" Roxas exclaimed, Seifer, Fuu, Rai and Vivi started, all but Seifer and Fuu looked at each other.

They were all confused – but me.

"_**There's danger stalking you Yenchrx."**_

_Really? I haven't noticed._

"_**I sensed something that might be of interest to you?"**_

He was obviously asking whether I wanted to hear the news or not.

_And…?_

"_**Someone in from the Order had been running around the Tram Common, dodging in and out of dark portals, it's as if no one sees them. I thought you would like to look into it?"**_

_And you can't because?_

"_**I'm on my own mission."**_

_Fine…Tram Common right?_

"_**There's no other."**_

_Must you be so difficult? You can't just say 'right'?_

"_**It's not in my manual to be easy."**_

As soon as Mewtwo tuned out of my head, I turned to Seifer, Fuu, Rai, Vivi and Roxas. All of whom were entertaining themselves over who was to blame for this.

"Why and _how_ could I steal words?" Roxas questioned, as if testing Seifer's mental capacity.

"Listen! Seifer don't need proof to blame you y'know?" Rai went on the defensive as they all poised for a brawl, Vivi backing away cowardly, as was I.

"Sorry guys, loved to stay and kick your asses, but I need to place my attention elsewhere. Later!" I said as I bolted from the spot and for the Tram Common.

Ignoring Seifer and Roxas' cries.

* * *

The Tram Common was suspiciously silent and not a soul to be seen which was strange in it; I stepped on the brick platform, looking around for an Order member or something WAY out of the ordinary. 

_Strange things, strange things come out, come out wherever you are…_ I mentally chanted as I scanned the area, looking around the trolley tracks and the deserted stores.

Then I heard footsteps – fast ones.

I spun around to see a certain flame-head running past me several yards away.

"AXEL! WHAT THE FRIGGIN' HELL IS GOING ON!" Yeah, I wasn't in the best of moods that morning, not gonna be in the best of moods now. What was funny though, there was snow up to our heels and with every step Axel took, snow melted instead of just leaving an imprint of his boots.

Axel very well heard and turned his head. With a smirk he picked up his pace, his coat billowing behind him, me taking off after him.

"Hey! I'm not talking to air y'know!" I snarled, taking off of Rai, though nowhere close enough to catching Axel.

Without knowing however, he was leading me near where the bees inhabited in the summer. I ran in without thinking with no Axel to be found.

_Stupid portals…he cheated…_ "You got off easy!" I shouted, punching the air and waving my fist like I could hurt it.

Suddenly, a _tiptoe_ of a sound came, more followed and I froze. I lowered my arm and looked around.

There were about six, skinny white guys in jumpsuits around me, _humping_ air in place. Well, that's what they _looked_ like they were doing anyway. They appeared as if wearing very tight, white spandex jumpsuits; their faces sealed in a zipped-up hood.

Their movements were irregular and unpredictable too.

"Its called self-defense, give it a shot Yen!" I heard Axel shout I peered up to see Axel crouching on a roof, looking down at me. He pulled out a Struggle bat and threw it at me. I caught it by the handle, but it did almost throw me back on my butt.

"Hey-" I was going to demand he come down here and lend a hand, but he seemed as content as a cat snoozing in the sun up there on the roof.

"JERK!"

"It's Axel! _Got it memorized!_" He said with a snide smirk.

"I wished I didn't!" But I didn't have much time to think anymore as one of the white things attacked, I somehow maneuvered over with agility I didn't (or never) believed I had possessed till now.

"You may be unfamiliar, but your counterpart bodes well with this sort of action, better get used to it!" Axel shouted out.

"Is that supposed to be advise?!" I cried as I somersaulted of the way and swiped at one with the struggle bat, but to no avail, the thing didn't hit them! It went _through _them!

"Helps if you summon the right weapon!" Axel advised.

"Oh! That's _loads_ of help! Let me tell you!" I retorted, I turned back to the struggle bat as Axel laughed above me. Summon the right weapon? What was he talking about?

I heard the ground lose wind and looked up to see another white guy lunge at me, instinctively I wound the bat to the side, where it began to glow an unusual and unexpected (all together) light before I pulled it out around me, where it hit the opponent and sent it crashing to the ground where it burst and well, _died_.

On the balls of my feet now, I gasped. In my right hand was a blade of some sort. About four feet long, looked quite like a key and gleamed metallic pink, embroidered into the hilt was a tidal wave moving out of the hilt and around the end of the blade connected to the hilt till it hit the center of it, where it strongly resembled a wave crashing onto rocks. The wave and the hilt was a dark magenta, amber jewels gleamed outside of the grasp part and the teeth at the end were severely jagged. At the bottom of the hilt, I noticed, a large shark tooth hung.

"The keyblade," Axel breathed out with a whistle. "That's a beauty if I ever saw one, more original than Roxas' that's for sure."

_Roxas has one of these? Is he serious?_ Was this what made us different, being these _keyblade wielders?_

_The Secretive Loner…it's name…_ It didn't give many offensives, it was too heavy to be used in a repetitive attack strategy, and I thought it over as I measured the weight out in my hand.

All the while, the white jumpsuits pranced around me, making no signs of attacking, as if waiting for a fair chance to get at me when I was prepared.

"If this will hit them…that's all that matter to me." Maybe with this! I could settle some peace with this abnormality in town. With that in mind, I launched out at the nearest enemy.

Within a half an hour (I had no idea how to fight, so I just swung the blade as carefully as I could, as it was heavy and I hardly had any brawn) I collapsed to the ground, the blade my support as my knees gave out.

"Well…" Axel said as he reappeared down at my level, clapping his hands with amusement.

"You were controlling them weren't you?" I growled, Axel gave a shrug with a confident smile.

_And you knew about it didn't you Mewtwo?_ I mentally thought, hoping it was sent to Mewtwo.

"All the more for you to practice." Axel said before stepping back into a sudden dark portal. I stayed put, breathing heavily.

_Practice? For what?_

* * *

_**A/N:**_

_All righty! You have to admit the common Dusk appears to being 'humping' as they walk, I noticed that when Axel kidnapped Kairi...mon, I wonder if that was on purpose ((shivers)) So yeah, Chenry was a keyblade weilder, but like Yen, I'm not sure whether to state if Chenry already knew that, to make it easier I might leave it at that. So, you'll have to guess that the keyblade is based on the world right? Byozone City isn't much of a water-based world...hm...I'm not telling! So, we have Christmas, I believe I'm skipping Easter...Valentines and maybe White day perhaps? Tell me what you guys think 'kay? And I'm eager to her to meet Sora and the gang, Riku, Robin Hood (haven't forgotten him) and the Hallow Bastion crew so we're going to speed this up a little! And I kind of want Chenry back seeing as we're going to have some drama! It'll be more apparent as we go along!_

_I don't remember if I ever did a disclaimer! Though, once I do one, I'll never do it again because I think it's a waste of space and once you mention it, you guys already know we don't own so and so and we own so and so. Yeah..._

_**I don't own Kingdom Hearts no matter how much I wish I did! I do, however own Yen and Chenry!**_

Jingles: **_Neither does she own me, she just likes to carry me around like a stuffed animal!_**

_You like it!_

Jingles: _No comment._

Later ya'll!_  
_


	13. Reno and Rude

**..::Part XII::..**

**..::Reno and Rude::.. **

It was amazing to say in the least, by the time I returned home, Fuu was there and was like the Fuu she was, gave me a pointed stare before shutting her door and leaving me alone still to the point as I sat there in the cafeteria. The sky outside was rebelling against the sun; the forecast clearly stated snow today…

I mentally hoped and prayed for an early release and a snow day tomorrow, I needed time to think in a QUIET facility.

"Hey Yen!" This was rather strange, I wondered briefly over why Vivi suddenly had the bravery to sit with me, I had reluctantly avoided Hayner, Olette, Pence and Roxas. I sat alone, away from them as they smiled freely, in my case, this was good, it proved there was a gap growing indeed and nothing was strained over there.

"Hey," I replied, raising a brow at Vivi when he looked at me after placing his tray down.

"Guess what!" Vivi cried almost like an excited child waiting to get a balloon. He sat there and waited for me to reply, well, he _is_ cute…

"There's something happening this summer! Something awesome!" Vivi continued, not waiting for me, he was obviously happy for actually spreading some sort of news for once and not have to wonder under Seifer's unwavering gaze if it was all right for him to share or not.

"Uh huh," I urged a little, a small part of me wanted someone around, don't get me wrong, Vivi's all right, but not my preferred company. My shadow was all I really wanted but once I think about it, being the nice guy he is, Vivi probably thought I was alone unintentionally and decided to spare me some agony.

"It's a _Struggle Tournament!_ Seifer, Fuu and Rai were talking about it this morning! I'm so excited!" Vivi squealed as he dug into his food. "Will you enter it Yen?"

"Why? I don't even know how to fight?" I said, I didn't mean to speak it aloud though, I did learn some (dare I say it) moves from my number one moron of a redhead friend – Axel.

"I can teach you some moves!" I hated to refuse, but I didn't want to undergo any training at the moment, if it weren't for school I would still be at home, probably sketching out another canvas of someone or something…I had, mind you drew out the white things that attacked me an hour after I got home from _practice._

"Nah, it's all right Vivi. Struggling isn't my thing,"

* * *

I gave out a shuddering breath, watching with slight amusement at the air I could see, swirl up and go invisible. I gave a light smile. 

It was after school, and I was wandering across the Tram Common. Automatically, as soon as the bell rang I ventured out here and peered through the hole in the wall that led to the Woods.

It was mysterious, a sign of an adventure many people would go for, but not me, I'm not the adventurous type.

I gave an audible sigh, I was bored, I knew it, but no motivation sought me out to do something. My flesh burned with cold and my nose began to grow red a little over twenty minutes ago.

_I'm out here, all alone; you could at least TALK to me…Mewtwo?_ I looked around, not bothering to move my body as I saw the candy lady walk into her shop without noticing me and locking the door behind her. I wanted THEIR company, someone not normal.

_Axel? _Why I longed for his company answered many things, he wasn't normal, like Roxas and I. He was different, detached from the people we hang out with. But for some reason, Roxas seemed to have just slid into our lives, to show this I slid _out_. Maybe, in the end, he would suffer too, I half wished it so and I wished it wouldn't happen too. Roxas was adorable, sweet, and polite if not a little rowdy of a guy, I couldn't compete with that.

Was that why I was slowly fading out of the group I had called friends? What about Hayner? He was like my older brother, and Olette and Pence? A sister I even gave advice to on occasion and a very good friend but nothing more.

Roxas? Someone I can connect to, but feel so alone with. We were two birds of a feather so to speak, though not on romantic terms, absolutely not (he isn't for me) but I guess, you could say we're helping each other determine who we are.

Fuu and Rai and Vivi? Sister obviously, Rai is that guy that's there, but he's a comrade of Fuu's and strong and I respect how loyal he can be, and the well-known waterboy for the quad, high-pitched and waddly, but trains day-in and day-out, waiting for his chance to shine.

And Seifer? I honestly don't know what to say about him without being rude for some reason, how much do I dislike him?

Something wet touched my nose and snapped me out of my mind wanderings, without realizing it I had taken elegant strides in between a coup of buildings, and here, I gave a yawn.

_It's snowing…_ Okay, so we didn't get our early release…

Whatever I was thinking at that point in time wasn't something sane I know now, but as I found a good spot and cleared some old snow, I took a seat and lay my head against the wall. Looking up as the small snowflakes gravely fell from the cloudy sky.

Almost instantly with my thoughts on the pyromaniac, my sleepy mind wondered why my bottom suddenly felt warm, not knowing the snow around me was melting away without a source.

In my blurring vision I saw red; flaming red spikes, funny, they weren't as spiky as before.

A face entered my sight, I squinted but with another yawn I thought it must have been Axel, for some reason I knew he wouldn't sick any of those white guys on me so I peacefully lolled off into slumber, blinking out the redhead I had been hoping to meet since yesterday…

* * *

"-sure looks a lot like her," 

"How many times are you going to say that?"

"Stop being rude Rude,"

"She's waking up,"

I gave a small groan, I stretched my fingers, they wound themselves into something soft – a fabric? I was in a bed? Last moment I remembered was sitting down against a wall…and the snow got warm and I saw Axel…

"Yo, you can open your eyes now." That sounded A LOT like Axel, suddenly feeling awake I bolted up into an upright position, instantly noticing Fuu across my bed. She was leaning against the wall, arms crossed and eyes focused on me.

With hesitation, I turned to my right; there I spotted a tall, black man with no hair and dark shades. He wore a nice suit, and wore it properly unlike his partner, whom wore his top undone to reveal some of his nicely toned chest and flimsy red hair with a ponytail. I couldn't tell if the red stripes beneath his eyes were his hair or tattoos…

Wow, what a striking resemblance… 

"Hey, you're Chenry right?" I gave him a skeptical look, Chenry? Fuu cast them a blank look and mine was very baffled, Mr. Sunglasses gave a shrug and the redhead put a hand on his hip.

"So you _aren't?_"

"I would've answered yes already if I was," I replied tartly, I was tired could you blame me?

"All right, so your name is…?" he asked, I gave a frustrated glare.

"Why don't you give me YOUR names, you are the ones imposing here." I growled out, the redhead sighed.

"Name's Reno, and this is Rude." The redhead introduced, I raised a brow. _Reno and Rude?_ Fairly uncommon duo names.

"And yours? C'mon, I gave you ours!" Reno said, I resisted rolling my eyes, what a child he is.

"Yen, that's Fuu." I said, eyeing them suspiciously, Fuu did the same. Neither of us trusted them and they seemed to know it as they each shifted their feet.

"So…who's Axel? Boyfriend?" Reno asked, looking off into space like he knew he was asking something he shouldn't be asking. I narrowed my eyes.

"You do know you don't have the right girl right?" I eagerly wondered how they knew of Axel and Rude seemed to have read my mind.

"You were calling him Axel," Rude answered my unspoken question, I did my best not to blush.

They sounded _alike_ and even looked _similar!_

"No,"

"Friend of sorts?"

"No,"

"The guy that hits on you in class?"

I narrowed my eyes on the one called Reno; they had to have been related. They HAD to be related he gave me the same urge that I should stand up and slug him through five layers of cement. But I didn't, which is obvious because I'm still sitting here – hopelessly immobile. All because the damn man imitated Axel so well, except there was something Axel gave me Reno hadn't.

A feeling of…_something_…

"Er…okay, enemy?"

"Look, I hardly know the guy." So I was giving a white lie, I didn't actually know enough about Axel to say I _knew_ him anyway. "We just bumped into each other on Market Street, said sorry like the usual and strutted off in our own little merry ways. Happy?" I made sarcastic gestures that matched my tone.

"What a word – _happy_. This guy – Axel – we expect is a part of some _shady organization_." Reno began to explain, Fuu on the other side of the room (though wasn't showing an ounce of emotion) was paying full heed to him. "This man is a suspect, he and his (possible) pals have been running amuck causing havoc. We've gotten a few leads, and you pop up out of nowhere on our visit surrounded by a perfectly dry patch of ground."

I racked my brain for what he was getting at, then I remembered when I passed out it had been snowing, and there had been snow on the ground…

Axel… 

"We know for certain they use unique weapons, and they control elements. Very reliable informants supplied us that at least," Reno continued, Rude seemed to have been thinking he was giving too much away as his eyebrow twitched.

"So…this Axel guy controls Fire or something?"

"I don't know, weird things don't happen here frequently, so when they do happen the whole town would be up and gossiping." I stated calmly, trying to calm my seething nerves. This was enough questioning, I wanted to go back to pretending to sleep and attempt to contact Mewtwo.

"Ah, so there would be no point to even interrogating you then huh?" Reno said in a matter-of-fact tone, shifting his shoulders and in the process cracking some aching joints.

"Exactly," I growled out, clearly showing how unsociable I was.

No later than a moment had Fuu shown Reno and Rude the way out. Leaving me by my lonesome; emptier and more confused than before. All the warmth I had in me was ebbing away; I wanted to cry out for it to come back. Yet I knew the only one it would crawl back to would be if Axel were here.

_God-dammit… _"I want my life back."

By midnight, I had climbed out of bed, slipped on a pair of warm pants and a winter coat before sliding out of my bedroom window, the quarter moon's light illuminating the edges of my canvases.

Stumbling only slightly, I managed to a dry spot, a _suspiciously_ very warm spot. Yet I was tired and didn't think much of it, but a certain redhead had flashed before my eyes when I plopped down with little noise.

Gazing up at the night sky, the stars twinkling merrily it seemed. I wondered why, but my attention was caught when I could have sworn I saw a little ball of light flicker then go out. Suddenly the sky seemed weary, the stars losing their glamour and began to radiate fear.

The stars were missing a friend…

What was I _missing?_

_What made me feel so __incomplete._

* * *

**A/N:**

_I always wanted Reno and Rude somewhere in KH. Sadly, they have yet to make an appearance T.T Maybe KHIII? Not that I'll be able to play it, once the game comes out it's most likely I would have already have graduated from HS and I'm not about ready to buy a $700 or so PS3. No way unless I have cash to burn by the time I get to college. Hopefully by that time I'll be having too much with Photoshop to bother with it, if I ever play KH3 it'll be pure luck. I'll just grab a KH3 game guide or something...or maybe I might buy the console...geez, stupid money problems. All well, we all have 'em don't we? _

_ Anyway, the download thing finally works! That stupid thing was ticking me off, here I was actually done with another chap and had the nerve to not work! Ha! Technology! Causes as much probs as it solves them! _

_ Okay, I'm done yabbering. Hope y'all look forward to the next chap!_

_All right, y'all know the drill in RR. _

_Any specific characters and worlds you would like me to write about? You only have so long guys! We're in winter now, Yen only lasts up to summer! And don't worry, we're going through the rest of the year fast, shouldn't be any more than 3-4 chaps hopefully. I also want to solve that HaynerXOlette problem they seem to be having, kuu kuu, X-mas might be able to tie up some loose ends..._

Okay, now I'm going to make a habit of answering questions...

**Anon - **"Not really a question, but no...her keyblade is the Secretive Loner LOL"

**Hikaru - **"Yen has been plummeted into a very dark, emotional void...anyone with blocked judgement do stupid things, like getting in a fight, and someone who in particular you just don't happen to like walks by while you're in a bad mood found him/herself in the wrong place at the wrong time. That's it."


	14. Vexen's Test

**..::Part XIII::..**

**..::Vexen's Test::..**

The snow piled up by the foot as the school day progressed, and to the students excitement, an early release rung out through the PA system and most ran out of the school without much of a care.

But there was something great that day, it was Yen, yeah, that's right, me, I was in a really good mood since morning. Don't know why, but I am. So since this morning, I went through the day smiling, hoping no one would try to ruin it because if anyone tried, I would've socked 'em.

Want to know why I am so jolly and filled with the _world's joy_? C'mon guess! Well, my parents are holding a _Christmas Party_! Not too long from now. Yet you're probably wondering why I am so happy about that? You wanna know? Well, I'm being completely, **COMPLETELY** sarcastic.

I'm anything BUT happy, jolly and filled with the _world's joy!_

Just a few minutes ago I was tactlessly reminded by Fuu, which was _overheard_ by Roxas and Co. and therefore, I have more than necessary guests arriving to said party. Not that I'm particularly glad that people my age will be coming, but I just don't want to BE at the party. I'm not a _party-goer_. I'm a _party-pooper_. But then there are others like that, so, whatever…

However, there's something funny going on. It happens to concern Olette and Roxas…

"Hey, Yen! Wanna come with me and Roxas to Snitts Café?" Olette had asked me two minutes ago, and being the nice person that I _was_, I said – "Sure, how much will it cost me?" Of course, Olette giggled at that and led a confused Roxas and an uninterested me towards the black, smashed shop no one would have suspected as a cute café.

Truth is, the owner, Rocky Snitts is the shortest, _kindest_ man on the block.

"Whadda you want? Hot cocoa? Sorry kids, don't have any for ya so scram!" Rocky Snitts snarled from behind the counter where he was hunched over as he was placed phonebooks on top of one another so he could reach the shelf.

Nice guy huh?

"How about ice cream?" Olette asked, Mr. Snitts looked at her, almost crossing his eyes once he propped himself up on the phonebooks.

"Are ya ravin' mad? It's almost below zero outside!"

_Oh! That's why it was so cold!_ Dear lord, my brain had frozen.

"No, just special moments call for special treats." Olette went on, I restrained myself from rolling my eyes.

_What the __hell__ Olette?_ I pondered. Mr. Snitts eyes traveled from to Roxas and a spark flashed in his eyes.

Oh brother… I knew this was going to happen, I knew Olette was going to match Roxas and I up – women intuition y'know? 

_But if that's the way she wants to play…_ "So…Olette?" I spoke when we took a seat in a far corner; a lone lamp hovered over our heads from the black ceiling. The cool thing about this café, is that the ceiling has that surreal star look to it, it was painted to resemble a night sky and if you leave your eyes on it long enough, you might see a shooting star (alias a trick of the eye).

The tiles were black but well-cleansed daily and the paws of the chairs were soft and therefore didn't make any noise when moved. There was a rack of old magazines not that far away that reminded anyone of a sterile doctor's office.

Snitts wasn't much of a designer but the café promised privacy, hence why it attracted serious customers that included both adult and teenagers alike.

"Do tell what's going on between you and Hayner?" I asked, schooling my features into a perfect act. Two people can play at this game.

_Bingo!_ Olette burns red! Yen 1 Olette 0

"Well, not much, I mean…" Olette's eyes shot at Roxas, who was staring at her cutely by the way, then they quickly rounded on me. Still with an obvious expression, she attempts to smile sweetly.

"We're doing better…though besides that time a while ago…" Olette made it clear she hadn't even mentioned it to Hayner since their conversation in the girls restroom. I watched her carefully, meanwhile Roxas appeared nonchalant. He must've believed it to be a good idea to stay out of this.

"Ah-ha!" Olette like Hayner, it was definite, probably just puppy love but heck; I want to make sure.

"Hey, you better make a move then, I know someone whose taken an interest in Blondie," I lied, it was a white one, but it was enough for her to send a meaningful semi-glare at me.

"What? Who?"

I gave a nervous smile; I think there could have been better methods…Roxas gained interest again and watched the two of us steadily.

"Sorry, I've been sworn to secrecy…" I lied again!

"You're lying,"

"No, I'm not."

"Yes, you are."

"How would you know?"

"The person would be limping around about now." Olette claimed confidently. Oooh, she's right, anyone who I believed not _worthy_ of a brotherly figure of mine usually got sucker punched. Yen 1 Olette 1

This was going nowhere as ice cream found itself at our table.

"Have fun," Snitts said dryly before hobbling away, his head hardly taller than our table. It was then that I realized this was getting us nowhere, I got bored again quickly. But Olette hummed along as she ate her sweet order, Roxas did his but slower (glances at me in between almost every other bite) and I hardly touched it. I didn't like vanilla much, I preferred chocolate.

"You don't like yours Yen?" Roxas questioned Olette quirked an eyebrow at us, probably hoping for a show. I mentally rolled my eyes, I was hoping she was only trying to find out what to do in such situations, but most of me denied it – she really thought the two of us were meant for each other.

How? I could not see nor image.

"I don't like the flavor that much," I answered, fixing Olette with a light glare, if only she had let me order my own ice cream she wouldn't be getting an imaginary hole in her petite forehead!

"Would you rather have chocolate? You can have mine," Roxas offered politely, Olette urged the trade on eagerly with her eyes, I sighed inwardly. What a hopeless romantic…

"Sure, if you don't mind…" It didn't seemed like he minded at all as he swapped the bowls (we thankfully kept our same spoons), I didn't eat any faster than before and Olette seemed rather giddy after that.

I guess she was disappointed in the end because that was as far for flirting with Roxas I would go – if you considered that flirting that is.

* * *

"Hey…erm, Yen?" Roxas asked shyly, he was escorting me home for the day. It was close to sunset, that after our random snowball fight with Seifer's gang tired us out and Roxas offered to walk her home. Of course, Olette was all for it and pushed me into Roxas, man, who knew she could be violent?

"Yeah?" I noticed his cheeks turning three shades of crimson, I wanted to sniff (I swear it's from the cold) but I refused to, the poor guy likes _me_, it's now official. If only I had the same feelings for him I wouldn't be feeling so guilty right now!

We came to an abrupt stop with us facing each other; Roxas seemed to be struggling horribly with inner demons. Then he looked up and went to open his mouth to say something – he froze.

_Oh no…_ I thought glumly as I recalled when time froze before Axel showed up.

"Interesting observation. My hypothesis was off by a margin. Yet this was certainly unexpected." I reeled around to find another Organization dude, this one had long hazel hair and a sharp face. He held a clipboard and appeared to be jotting notes down on it.

His cold eyes narrowed on me.

"Fight for me." He sneered as he snapped his fingers and a few white creatures appeared from cracks I wasn't aware existed in the walls of buildings. They circled around me in an eerie prance, I shuddered.

One lunged for me and I dodged and landed on all fours – there they go again, reflexes I was very sure I never had before.

"Why not use the keyblade?" The man suggested, I glowered up at him.

"Who are you? What do you want?" I snarled as I extended my hand to the side. Instinct told me to call for the Secretive Loner, out of luck (I'm sure), said weapon dazzled out of my hand within seconds. The man smirked down at me.

"Data. As for my name, you may call me Vexen." The man replied before commanding the white critters to attack me again. However, this time I was prepared.

This time I defeated them easier than before, but when the last one was gone, I fell down on one knee, man, that was tiring!

I heard a chilling laugh as I got back up and the Secretive Loner vanished.

Vexen was gone when I went to see him.

"Um…Yen?" I snapped my head back so fast it hurt, Roxas was staring at me, as if I was trying to outpace a cheetah.

"What?" I asked bluntly, c'mon, I just fought a bunch of creepy hoodlums! You would be in a non-talkative mood too!

A small flake of white floated down and landed on my nose, I blinked and went to wipe the cold wetness from it. I felt my cheeks go rosy from the touch and my hair grew damp. Roxas had gone very red in the face by now, he was thinking hard over something.

Two moments later when I went to look down at my wet boots did a set of petal-soft lips kiss my forehead. I carefully raised my face to his when he gently withdrew. Roxas had become an almost impossible non-human color of red. His buoyant azure orbs thoroughly shining on his face.

"Oh, Roxas…" I didn't know how to break it to him… "I'm sorry…I'm not interested in a relationship…" Roxas tried to smile, but when I nodded in understanding he stopped.

"All right…" he spoke back softly. I grasped his right hand, through our gloves we connected our warmth and the similarity we shared.

I could've sworn he was on the brink of tearing, which in turn made me want to tear – why was that? I felt regretful inside…

_I'm so very sorry Roxas… I feel for someone else…_

* * *

That night I sat again on my roof, careful to avoid slippery spots coming up, I wiped away a good layer of snow (it was still falling) and sat stiffly. The gibbous smiled down on me, as if pleased of the misery I bestowed upon Roxas.

In my opinion, this had to be the worst feeling next to that empty one I constantly had.

* * *

**A/N:**

_LOL, sorry my heart wasn't totally in this one. I'm tired out, I've been boating, tubing, skiing (attempted to anyway), at an amusement park all day and at a beach all this week and I am TIRED! Someone just wanted me to update quickly (they pretty much wanted one bad) so here's a chap! I'll go in search of inspiration later so I can make the next chap a good one!_

_Later!_


	15. Cocky Grace

**..::Part XIV::..**

**..::Cocky Grace::..**

It was a pretty eventful day at Twilight High, not only had the Christmas spirit brightened the faces of my fellow classmates, but also it was the last day before break and to top it off, during lunch. The ever so sly Pence hung plastic mistletoe over Hayner and Olette.

Besides the whole cafeteria going silent (Roxas –surprisingly - and I were snickering), we were all impressed that Hayner actually pecked her on the cheek (she had turned her head when he advanced, I guess she still wasn't feeling right about the past incident with the fake Hayner.)

Poor Hayner, he had no idea what was wrong with her and I found it somewhat exhilarating that he too, felt for her in the same way she had felt for him. Yet she was being difficult, but then again, no one could really blame her. Until I could prove Hayner was a fraud back then, I wasn't going up to her and attempt to explain that Nobodies were behind it.

I'm sure she wouldn't take such a tale easily.

But alas, the days before the party I had mentioned passed and I was rudely shoved into a dress by my mother an hour before guests were told to arrive.

"Hold still – you're _squirming_!" Well, it wasn't my fault I wasn't born to be classy! Somehow she had convinced me to attend the festivities, the dress wasn't too bad but it was a little too snug for my liking.

A blood red, smooth dress graced my scrawny features and as a halter, wove around my neck – exposing my pale shoulders.

Kiki fussed over my hair, it had grown since I had last snipped it, but in the end, she settled with straightening the pure-white hair down past my shoulders and brushed my bangs over my right eye.

After applying a small amount of green eyeliner above my eye and black beneath, as well as a little mascara I was about complete.

"Here, you can take them off after everyone comes." Kiki assured me as I slipped into a pair of comfy black, slipper-like shoes.

"Here," she also slipped on a pearl bracelet onto my left wrist and a matching necklace around my neck.

"You're beautiful," When I looked at myself in the life-size mirror, I was struck with awe.

My reflection didn't _look_ like me at all, if you ignored the white hair and red eyes…

Fuu was placed into a similar, but emerald dress. The top strapless instead of a halter, but hair just the same as it was too short to do much to anyway. Kiki did, however, give her another pearl set of jewelry and cosmetics.

We were certainly twins.

Then our lovely mother masked us – it was a _masked_ – theme party after all, Kiki didn't feel like being original I guess. I was pretty irritated, the smooth, ruby mask I slid on was a little itchy and my skin altogether didn't take the new surface well.

"All right you two, stand here and greet guests until I get back with the turkey, I think I smell smoke…" Kiki hurried off fifteen minutes later, leaving Fuu and I the task of meeting our _guests_. The folk included Grandma Pinako (_My life's complete_), Winry (_I swear she's too pretty to be human when she actually dresses up_), Jackie with Uncle and Jade, oh, Toru had a hard time getting through the door – he got in, eventually. Then there was my motley crew (_Hayner and Olette appeared to be totally oblivious of each other with an awkward Roxas and Pence behind them_), a few other older people like the candy store owner in the Tram Common, other adults I was unaware my parents knew, more people, more people, and guess what – more people.

Then until I was sure there were no more guests and my house was very close to exploding – my favorite duo showed up.

Reno and Rude.

"G' Evening! Thought we'd drop by," Reno said rather cheerfully, clad in a navy blue suit and a not-too-fancy black mask. The whole image seemed suiting to the Turk, then there was Rude, I wonder if he changed because he was in the same outfit since I last saw him, and his shades I guessed counted as a mask.

"**INVITATION.**" Fuu spoke, holding out her hand.

"You weren't even given an invitation were you?" I tried not to sound too emotional, as Fuu was perfectly unmoved.

Reno flashed me a silly grin before brandishing an actual slip of red paper that was (unfortunately) the required pass.

"C'mon in then," I spoke roughly as Reno giddily strutted past with Rude in tow. All the while I had to keep myself from hitting/staring at him. He had too many similarities with Axel and I hated that. I bet he knew he was getting to me, and something told me he would be making MANY unwelcome visits in my life from now on.

"You go on ahead, I guess Mom's not coming." I told Fuu, she didn't even nod before stepping towards the partygoers. For some reason, she looked downcast -–I'm sure I was the only one who would notice though, we were twins y'know.

"Hey! I know we're a little late but don't slam the door in our face y'know!" I knew that voice anywhere and sure enough, it was Rai, towering behind Seifer and Vivi. I suspected Fuu invited them and not knowing them being here might've been the reason for her slight depression.

"Yo," I greeted as they gave me their invitation.

Seifer was in a crisp white shirt and black trousers; an extravagant golden flower glowed on his breast pocket. His hat was gone, revealing nicely combed blonde hair for once and around his emerald eyes was a snazzy black mask – that unlike Reno's – appeared to have been found in his attic, possibly his father's?

Vivi still wore his hat but it was adorned with a bit of thistle and a small yellow star at the top. I tried hard not to comment on his cute ways with a snug scarf wrapped around his unseen face and large red boots. It was hard to see the white suit beneath the scarf and boots.

Rai, despite the blue suit and crimson tie and lily, still appeared to be a tough kid where Seifer without his usual get-up could pass for an actual disciplinary member.

"Where's Fuu?" Seifer asked, hardly glancing at me.

"Somewhere in the house obviously," I replied soundly, Seifer (I guess he didn't have a good day ooooor it could be me) snorted before venturing inside, Rai wandered towards the buffet table and Vivi stayed with me as I locked the door.

"Seifer isn't really much into parties," Vivi explained.

"I noticed,"

"Fuu managed to get him to come in the end," Vivi continued brightly before wobbling off towards Jade to see what was hidden in her bag that she was showing Winry (I was only mildly worried), I was too mesmerized by Vivi's decorated hat to care Jade brought her cat, Ruby.

The speakers hung around the ground floor began to emit jolly tunes, in which case I wandered into the kitchen to see if my mom was in there.

"Mom?"

"Yes, dear?" Kiki was getting the last of the food at the counter when she turned her head to see me.

"Why did you invite those two?"

"Who?"

"Reno and Rude, I didn't even know you knew them."

"Who are you talking about Yen?" Kiki appeared very confused as she stopped carving out green olives from their jar. I refused to think anymore of this.

"Don't worry about it," I gave up, I wasn't in the mood.

"Is Hiro out there?" Kiki asked, I gave her a surprised look.

"You invited _him_?" Hiro was Fuu and I's older half-brother, he left a while ago for some _business_. I suspected he ran off to some place he called _Byozone City_, wait that sounds dreadfully familiar all of a sudden…

Suddenly my vision faded out and I was suddenly in a terrifying position –

"_You're making this awfully hard on yourself, to just simply kill you wouldn't suffice – no, not at the least." The cloaked man stood well over seven feet, his face shadowed by his swishing violet cloak's hood, the creases shining brilliantly in the moonlight. He held his five-foot blade millimeters from the girl's throat; it hovered like the blade was hungry and savoring the moment of dominance._

I blinked and I was back in the kitchen, here Kiki was giving me a worried stare.

"You look a little green Yen, are you all right?" She asked with concern. I mumbled 'fine' before I sluggishly made my way out of the kitchen. The heaviest feeling had just settled on the empty space my heart was.

"_Quen la Mov…_" I muttered to myself, I didn't realize my feet led me back into the busy party room – and that Reno overheard.

"Quen la Mov? Who's that?" Reno asked curiously, and he was, he appeared very intrigued by the name I had mentioned. Despite his mask, his surprised facial was too easy to read in my opinion.

"No one special," Well, I was telling the truth _somewhat._ Lucky for me, Reno decided to drop it.

"Care to dance?" The redhead asked suavely, he offered a hand and only half of me took in the gentle notes the speakers were pouring out. My mother must've been in a romantic mood when went through the music tracks. All well, maybe for a bit…

He might just be trying to suck up to me I bet.

So I took his hand and he led me to a spacious spot where I spotted Pence and Vivi talking animately with Rai standing a little ways off at the buffet still. Seifer – _naturally_ – was near a few girls around our age (including Clover), where he was actively flirting. Pence was throwing him reproachful looks all the while in between the conversation he was having with Vivi.

Fuu was also watching Seifer, or at least I think she was she was several feet away, leaning stiffly against the wall while her red orbs kept a vigil on the group. Winry was talking with an older man, Rickque Thomas, the head mechanic of the Twilight Garage on Market Street. Then there was Jade, trying hard to avoid Jackie and Uncle's detection as she fished snacks away from the buffet to lure a lost Ruby out in the open.

Reno had by this time, gently placed his hands on my waist while I (reluctantly) wrapped my arms around his neck. Instead of smirking delightfully like I thought he would, he was grinning sadly.

"You really do look a lot like her," Reno spoke after some time of silence – I found it a bit odd, he didn't strike me to be so quiet. I furrowed my eyebrows.

"Are you hoping I'll suddenly become the girl you and Rude are looking for?" I asked not unkindly. Reno sighed.

"Would make the pay easier to get," Reno admitted, I nearly body-faulted.

"It's funny, the guy you mentioned before – Quen la Mov, he's the one who hired us to look for Chenry. Does she sound familiar?" Reno asked calmly, eyeing me carefully. I was struck speechless for a moment; in fact, I was speechless because it _did_ sound familiar. So _damn_ familiar it wasn't funny.

"Sorry…no," Even if it was familiar, I wasn't about ready to share that info with Reno. He worked for someone that gave me a bad vibe through his name. _Something was off there._

"I tried, you two could pass off as twins." I peered past his shoulder to find Fuu, whom was still gazing on even after Seifer had left the girls to help Kiki bring in the rest of the food. I had never seen her eyes watching so _intently._

_Chenry…_was she a long-lost sister? Relation? No, it felt so much more than that. More than what Fuu and I were. Besides, Kiki would've said something about another sibling…wouldn't she? I guess Hiro's departure was enough, that she didn't want to think of another child that had been lost to her.

A wisp of a brighter shade of crimson caught my eye. I abruptly stopped dancing out of shock, Reno found this the time to step out and he gracefully thanked me for the dance, but I was hardly listening. He vanished out of the crowd without a word, only to be replaced by his sarcastic counterpart.

Axel had a viscously showy, ruby-red mask that was adorned with feathers that appeared like fire. His suit was a bright gold and upon his shoulders was a mantle for his unnecessary golden cape. I found it strange that no one else seemed to be aware of him – he seemed to be glowing with abundant pride and fiery wit.

"Miss me?" His sneaky emeralds peered out of his mask, though duller than Olette's and Seifer's for some reason, they were still valuable jewels I found priceless.

"Hardly," I replied with a slight smirk, he returned it with a threatening smile as he pulled me to him with one firm hand on my hip and the other entwined with my right hand.

"I wish we didn't have to wear masks, but funny enough, if it weren't for them, you're new bodyguards would already have me in hand cuffs – or have half the building blown out of attempting to _arrest _me." Axel said slyly as he twirled me skillfully as an upbeat song came on.

"They know about you guys you know?"

"Yeah, yeah, but those Turks can give up. We have transportation that makes us untraceable and _un-capturable_." Axel said with cocky grace.

"Turks?"

"What Ponytail and Shades are," Axel replied simply, I suppressed a laugh from his nicknames for them.

For what seemed like forever – and for what I wished it was – we danced, the same song appeared to have been a long one because when it finally came to an end, Axel dragged me off the dance floor. Away from bystander eyes in a nearby, dark hallway.

"Axel-?" He pressed a finger to my lips as my back gently hit a wall. He then took it away and lifted my chin to meet his somewhat sorrowful eyes.

He had slid our masks off without me barely noticing, his nose touched mine, I could feel his hot break on my face and neck – it was so comforting, that _warm feeling_ flooded my empty space but no butterflies came like they say they do in romance books.

"Does this feel familiar?" Axel said, before covering my mouth with his.

The kiss was cautious, but craving. I could tell as he tried to pry my lips open (and he did so) and explored my crevices past my petal-soft lips. He seemed so careful doing this – like he was actually_ afraid_ I would reject him.

I don't know why he would feel that way because this felt wonderful; _enchanting._ Then there was some blockage, it forced me not to feel any more it seemed.

Out of breath, I had broken the kiss and Axel embraced me, his hold tightening just a little. I'm glad he did, this way he didn't see the tear roll down my cheek. That empty pulse – it told me over and over that I knew him, that I had met him once, but then…_I didn't really._

I was so baffled.

"I knew you would," Axel spoke with a sudden boost of confidence; I quickly swiped the tear and its trail away as he backed away from me. However, he had grabbed onto one of my hands and clung to it – like it was a thread, the little bit that kept us connected.

"I feel warm, or is it that I remember how it was to feel warm?"

I felt like he had just spoken a riddle to me, but he made nothing more of it. He swiftly gave me a meaningful look.

"Take care of Roxas for me 'kay Chenry?" he said quietly as his gaze slowly moved to the side towards the party room, where Roxas was laughing at Jade, who attempted to gather Ruby in her arms but was caught by Jackie and Uncle. I followed his gaze and when I looked back.

He was gone.

Pence and Vivi were nearby when I emerged out of the dark hallway. They looked at me with the same looks of worry that my mother gave me earlier.

"You all right Yen? You look pale, well, paler than usual." Pence asked, Vivi remained silent.

I gave a reassuring smile.

"I'm great," the world suddenly didn't seem so downcast and what bubbly spirit I might've had before had flooded back into me.

Reno and Rude were near the door, they gave me a small glance before turning away and leaving with a cold gust of wind running in before the door was shut again. Seifer went on his jolly mood with Fuu continuing to watch him. Kiki gave another worried glance towards me before resuming a chat with Rickque and Winry. Jackie and Uncle had finished chastising Jade and Roxas appeared thoroughly distracted by Clover and her girlfriends. Hayner and Olette were dancing, though in an odd sort of way. Olette was intentionly adverting her eyes as Hayner tried to make contact with them, but then again, she looked like she didn't want to.

A shadow of a cat-like creature known to me as Mewtwo sat outside the window, warmed by his powers and happily watching the partygoers. His amethyst eyes churning with amusement and wonder.

Then somewhere very far away, a young man with strawberry-gold hair and aloof ruby gems stood beside a man shouting-

"We must find her! If we don't, the Secret will remain illusive forever!"

_Do not by thou release what may the Ally imply_

* * *

**A/N:**

_Yay! Another chappy and this time! My heart was poured into it! Yayness! Well, I'm going off to a 24 hour camp with my cross country camp, and guess what! I finsihed painting my room! It was fun! I'll see about getting pics of it up soon! Later!_**  
**

**Maiden-of-the-Elements: **_Heya, don't worry, I'm a RoxasXNamine fan, so yeah, you can see who he might end up with in my book LOL. Also, even if she might appear a little heartless, well, I think this chapter should have made you happier XD Actually, I'll probably change her wadrobe one more time in the Yen saga, that's after this dance._

**Wotcherscott: **_Roxas did have a mild crush on Yen, but Seifer more of the protective, older brother type, I figure some other albino has a crush on Seifer however hehe/  
_

* * *


	16. Heartbreak Lullaby

**..:: Part XV ::..**

**..::Heartbreak Lullaby::..**

_What a nice night…_ I was lying on the roof; hands behind my head and a blissful expression painted my face as the snowflakes melted on contact with my warm flesh. The full moon above me didn't seem to have any complaints either as it joyfully shined.

This night was so perfect, so perfect in fact; another one might not be possible for a while.

At least, that's how I felt.

I huffed out a thin pale smoke, where the puffs unfurled and dissolved into the invisible air. I then held out a hand, palm up to snatch a few flakes. They became drops instantly, like they had touched fire.

_"Axel..." _

* * *

The next morning, I found myself staring up at my ceiling, my hands behind my head and my legs tangled in the sheets.

_Teardrops on my Guitar_ by some girl named _Taylor Swift_, there it was again, someone I didn't know. It was some voice of some other person I have never known. Was she from the place the merchants came from?

As comforting as the melody was, it sang sad words.

"_Drew walks by me, can he tell that I can't breathe?_

_And there he goes, so perfectly,_

_The kind of flawless I wish I could be…"_

I sighed as my right hand pulled out from beneath my white locks and reached over towards my nightstand. My fingertips grasped a thin piece of paper from it; it was in fact, a photo.

I brought it to my red eyes. It was a snapshot of a girl with hair and eyes like mine. My skin was paler though and despite all the bandages, I could tell her frame was much more developed than my own.

She seemed to have a similar mind set to me because she was either trying to dodge the camera, or wasn't aware her picture was being taken as she was staring off into outer space.

I rolled it over with a simple flex of my fingers, on the back in chicken scratch-

**_Yours truly, Axel_**

Without putting it down, I yanked the covers off of me and ran to my closet. Not caring I snagged a gray hoodie with another Struggle logo on the front and 'Hayner' on the back in blue. Sliding on a pair of tight, blue Jeans I quickly pulled my feet into a set of black boots and hurried down the stairs.

"Where are you in a rush Yen?" My mother asked, Kiki appeared confused. She was wearing the brand-new, golden bell earrings I had spent hours working to get for her.

By the way, Christmas was yesterday. It wasn't so bad, quite festive like every year. Our father, Asante came back from a business trip at like one in the morning. He surprised us, trying to be Santa Claus. He would've pulled it off (on me) if he were a hundred pounds heavier.

I was delighted, I got a spankin' new red CD player! I didn't forget that as I rushed out of the house, with Green Day ringing my eardrums.

My hands were in the hoodie pocket along with my CD player, then there was the photo clasped in the other hand. As I trumped through the foot-high snow outside, I pulled out the photo.

It was seriously so creepy! It wasn't everyday that people of some dark order pop out at you and claim you as another person. I huffed, why couldn't life be simple?

"Hm?" Suddenly the picture was snatched from my hand. My eyes went wide as my whole body flashed to the side.

"Proof Rude?" It was Reno; he gave a hot smirk before handing the photo to his partner. Rude's eyes scanned it from behind his sunglasses.

"Looks considerable," Rude replied.

"_Encouraging_ Rude, thanks." Reno said, but his smirk didn't leave his face. I wanted to claw his innards out.

"Why do you keep _bothering _me!?" I practically yelled.

"Because you _know _something." Reno pointed out bluntly.

"Yeah, but I'm no closer to telling you _anything_ when you're popping out of the snow like daisies!" I cried, Reno 'tsked'.

"I believe that was an innuendo." Reno claimed, Rude remained unresponsive.

"Do my parents know you're harassing me?" I asked, trying to keep my temper cool. Reno looked up in thought.

"Well, they're enjoyed by our presence here, do we look like proper authority? They think so," Reno answered, I wondered how Mom could be so dense sometimes. She's an adult; she shouldn't be so naïve! Then again, she does know that these men have been pestering me. She probably thinks my first encounter with them was at the dance!

"Do you know who this girl is? She's the one we're trying to find," Rude spoke, possibly the most I have ever heard him say, as he faced the picture towards me.

"I don-"

"Chenry Eleven, she took on her mentor's name after she killed him in Byozone City. The Royal Family wants her back for trial," Reno said tiredly, like he was actually tired of these games he believed he was playing with me.

But for some reason, with them mentioning this Royal Family, my insides twisted sickly.

"This Axel person, he's a part of this _shadow group_, all the members seem to have 'x's' in their names." Reno explained further as he recalled reading the back of the photo.

"Is he automatically a suspect because of this group?" I asked dumbly, trying hard to get them away from my and Chenry's connection.

"We're supposing, but this _shadow group_ doesn't really _exist_." Reno answered, his brows furrowing in an act of strict determination.

"What is your full first name?" Rude asked, not unkindly.

"Yenchryx, why-?" I snapped my mouth shut, my worst thoughts came true as the two eyed each other.

Then Reno grins.

"Have a Merry Christmas," Reno says as he turns and begins to walk away. Rude suddenly pulls out a single poinsettia and hands it to me along with the photo before pursuing Reno.

I stared at the perfect holiday flower before something dawned on me.

"CHRISTMAS WAS YESTERDAY YOU RETARD!"

* * *

**JUNE**

**6 months later**

* * *

The first day of summer, the last day of school was yesterday. I am currently very happy. Even though all students were given a group project (I was with Hayner, Olette, Roxas and Pence) to do over the summer, I was still very cheerful. Actually, I've never been this please for a long time.

For these reasons:

1. I have had no contact with Organization XIII

2. Reno and Rude had not made anymore unexpected visits

3. Roxas and I have been friends without any awkward moments

4. Hayner and Olette are doing better with each other (which could be because she was his valentine this past February)

5. Pence and I studied for weeks and I had passed all my courses and end of the year exams

6. Seifer and co. have been leaving me alone

7. The STRUGGLE Tournament was around the corner!

Oh yes, I'm glad for this summer, it feels like all the crap I've been dealing with has come to an end!

My hair has grown out past my shoulders so I've been holding it back in a ponytail since March and my black attire hasn't really been seen out of my wardrobe much either.

"Hey, Yen, you're being creepy." Pence claimed, we were sitting in the Usual Spot. Olette and Roxas were chilling on the sofa with Pence a little ways off. Hayner sat at his usual place and I was leaning against the wall.

"How?"

"You're smiling at nothing." Pence said, I scrunched my nose in a fake frown.

"Sorry, just thinking."

"About what?" Olette asked slyly, I tried not to scoff as the rest of the group laughed.

"Not about Hayner, so don't worry about it." I spoke, this made Olette go red and she looked away. Roxas, Pence and I laughed to find both her and Hayner blushing.

"You two are cute!" I exclaimed.

"Yeah, whatever. C'mon Roxas, let's go down and struggle." Hayner said, Pence jumped out of his seat.

"Wait, I want to take a few pictures of you guys, I was thinking about scrap-booking our project." Pence said, Olette's eyes lit up from the idea.

"That would be awesome!" Olette cried, Hayner and Roxas exchanged unhappy glances.

"Um, sure," Roxas replied, scratching the back of his head.

"All right, just make sure you get the good poses." Hayner said as he tried not to upset his friend. Pence laughed.

"Fine, fine, what if you trip over your feet?"

"Don't even think about it," Hayner growled as the three guys made their way out of the Usual Spot. Leaving me with Olette.

"Yen, I'm throwing a sleepover tonight, wanna come? I heard your grandma and Winry are in town, so I invited her too." Olette said, I sighed, yeah, my _wonderful_ 'grandma Pinako' was back for a week.

"When do I come over?" I asked, Olette beamed.

"Six,"

* * *

I don't know what came over Olette, but she tossed Fuu into our group too. Along with my sister, and me Winry and Jade sat with Olette in her studious bedroom.

She had old wallpaper with white flowers dabbed here and there. In one corner was her desk complete with a computer, Setzer claimed her screensaver. Her closet was white and neat behind the doors and her bed lay beside a tidy bookshelf.

We sat on her light red carpet, on top of an oval rug with a ring pattern to it. Above us was her ceiling fan, the center shaped like a five-petal daisy.

"What possessed you Olette?" I muttered as Olette talked with Winry.

"Who is this Ed boy you keep talking about?" Olette asked, Winry's cheeks went red slightly.

"A friend-"

"Not from what I keep hearing from you," I added.

"Hey, Yen-"

"You always say you had to _fix him up all the time_, that can sound pretty dirty once you think about it." I said with a smirk, Winry thought for a moment then her face transformed into a tomato.

"YEN!" I laughed.

"Geez Yen, I never thought of you as a pervert." Jade said snidely.

"I'm scared to see what's in your head too," I replied, Jade grinned.

"Me too!"

"Well, yeah, I always had to help him with his automail, he lost his arm and leg when we were little…" Winry stated, things suddenly hushed.

"From what?" Olette asked, her eyes big and concerned, as Winry seemed too blue.

"Oh, nothing big y'know, it was so long ago…I think it must've been a tractor or something!" Winry stammered, looking flushed about what to say. I instantly know she was lying however, but Jade and Olette seemed convinced. If Fuu thought along my lines, I would never know.

"Oh! That must've been painful!"

"No Olette, he didn't feel a thing." Jade replied sarcastically.

"Be a bit more sensitive!"

"How's he doing?" I asked, Winry was thrown back into depression.

"Oh, well…it doesn't matter."

"What, a fight perhaps?"

"No, he just…went away…somewhere I won't see him again, but, it's ok! I have other friends!" Winry said, trying to regain her former buoyancy.

The sleepover picked up more beat afterwards.

When the other four fell asleep, I remained awake. It wasn't my fault; honestly, the boys outside trying to crash the party were being too noisy!

3…2…1-

"Boo!" Hayner jumped in first, along with Roxas, Pence and Seifer? Although the light switched on almost instantly because of Vivi, the girls all flipped out and Olette and Hayner accidentally smashed foreheads.

"Good grief you couldn't have sneaked in at ten!" Jade snarled as she tripped Roxas, who fell on Pence. Vivi and I watched from the sidelines, it seemed no one was in a hurry to scare me. But from my view, everything was quite amusing.

Hayner and Olette were fussing over each other like mother hens, both sporting bright red marks on their faces. Roxas was attempting to help Pence up, but a mad Winry knocked them both down and was frantically waving wrenches and flinging bolts, turns out, she's still asleep. Let me tell you, seeing Roxas and Pence cling to each other as they attempt to run away from her craziness made me crack up.

Seifer appeared at a loss, I'm surprised he was even here!

He gave a swift glance and saw me, when he went to step towards me Pence and Roxas got in the way and tripped him.

They ruined his strut, thus he fell, and onto me.

Why was it that my lips had to catch his damn fall? I was flattened against the wall, Seifer's hands caught the wall behind me, his eyes were wide and as soon as the momentum stopped he whisked away from me.

I was back in a slow-motion film. I wanted to cry. I was just kissed by Seifer, what the hell?

Thank whatever gods in the sky that no one had seen that – but apparently Fuu did, as she (for the first time) appeared horribly sunburned.

Olette's sleepover, as chaotic as it was, turned out to be very promising. Her parents were not pleased; however, to find their teenage daughter snuggled up to Hayner the following morning. Fuu had left along with Seifer, Vivi and Pence in the middle of the night. Winry had been sound asleep with an armload of her mechanical tools and Jade was completely hidden beneath her covers. Roxas was slumped against a wall. Needless to say, his back was killing him.

* * *

"That's the last time I'm crashing a party, I've got bruises on my bruises thanks to Winry," Roxas complained the next afternoon in the Usual Spot.

"Ha ha, that's why I didn't go towards her," Hayner claimed, both him and Olette were still brandishing a bright red mark on their heads.

It took probably two hours after everyone left for Olette to convince her parents it was a joke. Thankfully her father related to the incident and laughed it off, telling her mother it was fine.

"You still got hurt though," I was nervous, I was just waiting for someone to bring up Seifer.

"Anyway, did you get any good shots yesterday Pence?" Olette asked.

I exhaled deeply.

_Thank you Lord!_

* * *

"Say, do you like Seifer?" I asked a blank Fuu. I was standing in her doorway that evening.

She looked at me, then looked back at her math text.

I took that as a yes.

But I think she's still mad at me.

All well.


	17. Almost Time

** ..::Part XVI::..**

**..::Almost Time::.. **

Time, sadly, was flying. The students of Twilight High were already enjoying their last week of summer. At least the STRUGGLE tournament was tomorrow, but things have been…very off.

I personally suspect I haven't been the only one with Organization XIII problems. For the past few days, Roxas has been dazed. He would come to the Usual Spot, and basically sit there for all his life's worth.

I'm not sure where he is now, but I'm worried. He's been giving me lost looks and keeping questions to himself. What really got me thinking the Order was when Roxas mentioned some dude in black on Station Heights. Someone sinister that had snagged our munny to the beach.

Yet no one but Roxas saw him. Then again, something tells me the Order's members are only seen when they want to be seen. Which must make it very difficult to track them.

My head throbbed slightly from the extensive thinking. I was lying on my bed, my pillow cool and soft, but it wasn't helping my oncoming headache.

In front of my face were two things – the ID card I somehow got from that incident with Zexion at Sunset and the photo Axel gave me.

The two girls were definitely the same person, this_Chenry Eleven…_

She was from Byozone City, who's Royal Family wanted me in for trial…

No, not _me_. Why did I think that? They wanted _Chenry_. We don't have a _connection_!

I sighed angrily, not liking how I couldn't figure anything out then getting confused over the matter. I slipped the items into my gray cargo pants' side-pocket. I hoisted myself out of bed and tugged at my skin-tight gray T-shirt, this one sporting a fading brandname – _Doons 'a Goons_. I slipped on a pair of chipping trainers and looked in my mirror.

I didn't even glance at the portraits of Zexion, Axel or the new additions (Roxas and some blonde girl with two wispy strands) besides the dresser. I brushed at my hair till it felt smooth; I had just gotten it trimmed a little past my shoulders. This hair-do actually looked adorable – to me – there was a slice of my bangs next to my left eye.

Then I strolled down the stairs and out the door. Kiki was out on Market Street, Fuu was probably at the sandlot with Seifer and them, Asante was gone again on another business trip and my friends, possibly at the Usual Spot.

I had made a nice distance from my home, almost coming to the Tram Common when an abrupt, familiar sound burst out of no where.

Guess who came running out in my path after many happy months?

Axel, and he didn't appear as gleeful as my months have been. In fact, he looked panicked. His footsteps were hardly heard, when he came to a halt (it doesn't seem he has seen me), he was facing the high sun.

"Axel? What the hell are you doing _now?_" I asked, he looked at me, his face twisted a little more before he ran away from me.

Now this was strange, why couldn't he have run from me before?

A large, black circle – which I suspected was a portal – appeared and he vanished into it. Now those were _convenient._

"Hm, wonder what's up with him?"

* * *

"Welcome one and all-" The announcer was a stout, pudgy man with a booming voice. I hadn't realized till now how many people were actually into Struggling. It seemed like the whole town of Twilight was here. 

It seemed a week ago that Axel had crossed my path when it had only been yesterday. Whatever, I didn't care. As long as no one got in the way of today I would be happy to fight any member of the Order to tomorrow day and onward.

"_Seeeeetttttttzzzzzzzzzeeeeeerrrrr!_"_Ugh, fangirls…damn._ Well, at least Roxas, Hayner and Seifer weren't deterred. I was riled up and ready to go, those girls were just asking for my fist! I then peered up at the proud-looking, flamboyant Struggle champion. Why is it that you just want to touch silver hair? Setzer's was no different.

While the announcer continued on with his speech, then with the trophy for the winner, Hayner, Roxas and I got in a huddle.

"Now, no matter what happens, one of us is bound to win and DON'T hold back." Hayner spoke firmly, I smiled.

"Whatever you say Haynerd, just don't cry when I slam you in the dirt." I said with a cocky attitude. He smirked.

"Like I'm going to show mercy!" Hayner replied, Roxas stared at the both of us, probably waiting for the clash of the struggle bats.

A new voice took stage.

"Now, here are our contestants!" It was RJ, nice guy. As he announced Hayner, Roxas and Seifer, something grabbed my attention.

"_Vivi's participating?_" I asked in disbelief as RJ announced Vivi. Oh c'mon! I didn't want to beat _him_ up! Not that I'm being overconfident, but never has Vivi _fought_ before, I didn't even know he knew how to struggle! Then again, a lot of folk didn't know I could either. Hopefully he won't get hurt.

"Then there's our town fool – sorry, I had to Yen – Yencrhyx, always ready and willing to knock around a few heads!" RJ said, making the crowd laugh. I snorted; my nickname Fool was as well known as Setzer around here. I don't even know really how it originated.

"Now, if all contestants meet up with me at the board so as I can discuss the rules, we'll begin!" RJ announced, as the crowd yelled and whistled I was eyeing Vivi. He didn't…there was something wrong.

"Sometime today RJ," Hayner joshed as the six of us circled him at the green chalkboard.

"All right, all right," RJ explained the rules and paired us up.

The first match was like this –

**Roxas vs. Hayner**

**Sefier vs. Vivi**

Wow, I'm going to have to wait these battles out darn't.

"Hm, this should be interesting." Setzer stated from my right.

"Better believe it, Roxas and Hayner are the best strugglers I know." I stated proudly, Setzer looked at me and blinked, then looked back to Roxas and Hayner. Both were jumping up on the platform.

"Tell me, are either of them easily swayed?" he spoke, his voice as mesmerizing as it was on the radio.

"Depends, but they're both so stubborn sometimes." I didn't catch on to what he was plotting, but we had stopped talking and I walked around the arena and joined Pence and Olette on the sidelines.

"I bet you're gonna fight Roxas," Pence stated.

"Hayner's good too," Olette added crossly, Pence winced. I smiled.

"Their fight will be the most amazing I bet, hm…he's fighting next. Where's he going?" I was referring to Seifer; he, Fuu and Rai were walking off towards the Back Alley. Olette and Pence followed my gaze, then turned back.

"They just don't like places with too many people I guess, don't fret over it." Olette stated, Pence chuckled.

"Since when does anyone say _fret_?" Pence teased.

"They're starting," I said. The two went loud with cheers.

"C'MON HAYNER!"

"Get get 'em Roxas!"

It was impressive; the two blondes were dodging, rolling and jabbing the bat whenever they could. The fight lasted round five to ten minutes by the time Roxas finally won.

"The winner is! Roxas!" The crowd cried out with praise as Roxas and Hayner shook hands.

"Go for First," Hayner told him, Roxas smiled back uneasily.

What is with everyone? I spotted Vivi off against the wall behind the crowd, in the shadows…

"Will Seifer and Vivi please come forward?" the announcer shouted over the noise of the crowd. When Seifer and his gang emerged from the alley, Vivi was already on the arena placed over the sandlot.

Whenever I would picture Vivi struggling, I always figured he would be squirrely and bouncing around nervously. This Vivi was different; he just _stood_ there.

"That was awesome you two!" Olette said with a smile as Hayner and Roxas approached. I snapped out of my thoughts.

"Yeah, that was great! Watch out Roxas! I might be fighting you next!" I claimed, Roxas smiled that uneasy smile again. I stared at him with dark thoughts. Dark thoughts about the Organization. What are they doing?

"Watch out Roxas, she might pull a fast one on you." Pence laughed.

Soon after, the fight between Seifer and Vivi commenced.

It didn't turn out too well either.

Vivi won.

_Easily._

Shrugging off the quick loss, Seifer brushed off the soreness he acquired from the powerful stab from Vivi's bat. I watched (I hated how I felt sympathy for him) as he jumped off the edge as the announcer shouted out Vivi as the winner.

"That wasn't Vivi," Seifer said harshly as he passed us, his _posse_ already at his side, Rai appearing abashed and Fuu emotionless as usual.

"Thrash 'im," he spoke as his final words to us before he and my sister and Rai vanished back into the Back Alley.

"I don't know about you folks! But I would be changing my mind on some of my bets if I were you!" RJ said, "Five minutes till our next match! Between Roxas AND Fool!" I shot a nasty look at RJ, whereas he smiled and waved.

"So you two _are_ fighting against each other, whoever wins fights Vivi, then Setzer. Good luck!" Olette stated, Pence gave a thumbs up with his left hand, the other brandishing his flat camera.

"Someone fall on their rear!" Pence laughed, I narrowed my eyes.

"Don't take ANY pictures of me Pence!"

"How else will the teacher know you were in it then?"

"Dunno, we'll think of something." I retorted, not looking forward to being seen in our scrapbook, especially with me in some bad position.

"I'm not sure I can handle it though…my finger just might slip-"

"…" I gave a good glare and he laughed/coughed.

"It won't slip, I swear." Pence said, fumbling with the camera.

I spent the last couple of minutes observing people. Roxas and Vivi were both a major cause of concern; they were both acting so oddly _unwonted_. Like me when I came in contact with that stupid Order…

If they have anything to do with it I'm gonna-

"Would Roxas and Yen please make their way to the arena!" The announcer cried, the crowd (which had been politely subdued) gained a whole new notch of LOUD. They hooted and yelled out more than ever, probably excited that they were one fight closer to the one against Setzer.

"May the best fighter win," I said to Roxas, he only glanced at me.

"Um…yeah, good luck."

"For the love of Pete, I don't know a Pete, but for the love of him, what is going o-"

The darn announcer interrupted me as we both came to a halt before him. While he preached on about a fair, clean fight my mind was going wild. Roxas appeared to be listening to him as well as I was.

"Now, here are your bats. You begin when I say so,"

I grasped the yellow hilt and practiced swinging it as Roxas and I made our way to opposite sides of the square platform.

Whatever it was, I wasn't going to hold back on him.

"You may begin!" The announcer cried, I ducked down into my fighter's stance and launched for Roxas.

We parried off well, Roxas even appeared somewhat surprised at my headstrong attack, but balanced it with his own swings.

What made me groan a minute later wasn't some nice jab Roxas pulled, it was because things had gone horribly quiet.

Roxas thought along the same lines as me most likely, as we both pulled apart from our close combat and looked around. Yep, the crowd was silent, stiff and unmoving.

Olette and Pence were in the middle of cheering, but as still as deer in headlights.

"Bravo, bravo, I'm impressed. Though, I would never have thought to see the day Roxas trying to beat _Chenry_ up – Larxene I can understand, but c'mon! You laughed at me when she hooked my jaw!" That was, by far, the most conceited tone I heard out of that redhead yet.

"Um, we're kind of in the middle of a fight here – can you turn the time back on please?" I practically pleaded; my life seemed so normal up until today.

"You know I would love to, but…well, I could. I wanted to tell you something but I just forgot, what was it…" I turned around to face the pyromaniac, Roxas watched with wide eyes.

"Oh right! Chenry, the Organization's been having some trouble," Axel said, as if taunting me as he waved his finger at me. "With you,"

"Wow, I'm a burden everywhere. Feel free to bite me," I growled.

"Hm, where?"

"You wanna lose your ability to reproduce?"

"That's some personal space you'd be invading, getting a little pervy today Chenry?"

"_I'm gonna hurt you._" I must have sounded really scary as Roxas had taken many steps back and away from me, Axel clapped.

"I can't believe Chenry's nobody's scarier than her. Oh boy, I'm never letting her live that down!" Axel chuckled.

"_Nobody?_" Being claimed as this Chenry has been getting old, now it has reached an ultimate low. "It's Yenchryx, not Chenry."

"Unscramble that name of yours without the 'x' Weasel, that's proof enough." Axel claimed, I must have appeared cross-eyed as I attempted to unscramble my name without my 'x'.

Chryyen…no.

Enchyer…what?

Chenry? _Damn, no way!_

"You can't be seri-"

"Sora…" I jerked around to peer at Roxas, his eyes went wide too.

"We're Nobodies, whether you like it or not." Axel said as he strolled towards us, I bent down and prepared my bat. He came to a halt.

"Now, I've been wanting to do this for the longest of time, but last time, you were a helpless mummy." Axel said with a wicked sneer. He held up his hands, positioning them to snap.

Almost at once time came hurling back and a hot, steamy flash hit me and flung me out of the arena.

People caught me and because I was out of the arena, I lost.

"Winner is Roxas!"

The crowd went wild; the one section holding me nearly dropped me from their enthusiasm.

Wasn't anyone intrigued by my ability to suddenly be thrown out of place?

**"Axel made it look very convincing,"**

_Oh, hello. How nice of you to rejoin my mind, tell me, do my conversations with myself entertain you?_

"**You sound very sarcastic today."**

_Really, are you sure the right adjective isn't 'murderous'? I feel just like that right now._

"**He's beyond your league at the moment."**

_For the love of this Pete I do not know, spare me the reminder!_

He left me alone for a bit after that. Yet I was not looking forward to Roxas' battle with Vivi.

_Hm?_ My attention was caught by a small figure clad in black with two, identical round ears upon his head. He was heading out of the crowd and was making his way to the Tram Common.

* * *

**A/N:**

_Hola amigos! Just so y'know, squirrely is a word out here in the middle of our cornfields LOL_

_Anyway, Yen's time is drawing to a close. Though, she's not going to be completely gone._

_Later. _


	18. Her Heartless

**..::Part XVII::..**

**..::Her Heartless::..**

I hated being curious, in fact, I loathe being curious. Usually, I really wasn't. Yet this strange, very small individual caught my attention and triggered that unwonted nature.

The state my friends were in now – now that I knew for a fact that Organization was probably after them one by one, for SOME reason. Didn't help push me towards the short fellow in black. Then again, it could be a chance to get answers. If Axel or any one had wanted to hurt us by now, wouldn't they have done already?

I mean, we're easy targets to persons that wield the ability to spring black portals out of nowhere. Then being flung from the arena by a simple hand trick, well, that's not _ordinary_ by normal people standards.

Making up my mind, I hurried after the mouse-like figure before he was completely swallowed by the Tram Commons vast sea of buildings, brick pathways and secret tunnels. As much as I wished to see Roxas and Vivi's fight, I felt this was much bigger.

An event it was best I didn't miss.

When I finally caught up with him, something in me roared to stay hidden. This black clad dude had stopped, looking up at our job ads. Yet there was more than job ads posted up there, he could've been looking at the news, possibly the whereabouts of someone…someone I knew.

"Hey!" I cried out as he began moving again, he flinched as he noticed he was spotted. Perhaps he imagined everyone was at the Struggle tournament (which was highly likely), and figured this would be the best time to snoop around.

Whatever the case, nothing helped mine as he (or she, like I could tell) broke out into a full-blown sprint. I dashed after him after a second of shock the little guy actually moved. And did he move fast!

He must've been a professional gymnast too, because he was flipping and twirling and jumping onto the roofs before he finally vanished on the other side of a wall. I lost sight of him for a moment, until I ran around the small, tan building and looked out the other side. I was careful not to fall over the ledge that hovered over an inclining walkway.

I caught sight of him again as he made his way through the large gap in the wall.

I paled slightly; he was running to the mansion.

I paused for a few split seconds, my mind racing. Should I go back to the tournament? Where I'm sure Roxas needed all the support he could get, seeing as Vivi just canned Seifer. Then, I thought, he didn't need me. I remembered that day on the Clock Tower, how we thought among ourselves how we were different. More so than the rest of the Twilight inhabitants.

We were very unique to this place, and for some reason, we just didn't fit here. I realize that now. Funny how I've lived here for as long as I remember and I never felt that empty space in me, but it took Roxas only a few months to bear the courage what his intellect was telling him.

I looked ahead, towards the crack in the wall where the mouse-dude disappeared and ran out of sight.

What harm would it do? I've confronted a few Organization members before. Sure, they wanted to impale me probably, but I've never gotten hurt. It was those around me that paid for my being here.

Was it wrong not to feel guilty for that? I simply couldn't feel…but I can tell I probably should.

I want to feel awful; it dawned on me slowly. I want to be angry with myself over so much, but why can't I gather the envy, wrath and savagery in me to do so.

I shook my head as frustration pecked at me, I could feel agitated. Yet I couldn't feel angry over how I treated others, was it because it concerned_others_. In order to come in touch with emotion I have to _think_ them all about myself? Was that not horrid?

Maybe going back to Roxas, Olette, Hayner, Pence, Fuu, Mom, Dad, Winry and the rest of the town wasn't for me to decide. It seemed as if someone had grasped and pulled and yanked my proper feelings away to make me feel detached. Suppose I do return…what good or even bad will that do? I know, I'm sure I'm half the reason this Order is causing havoc. The other must be Roxas. Yet he's as baffled as I am when it came to Organization XIII.

_Chenry…Sora?_ These names were analogies of our own without the 'x's'. Neither of us knew them, but the names, as much as I hate to admit it, felt familiar to me…not as much as Sora as Chenry however.

I took a step towards the gap.

_Would this wrap my life up here? Will it end it? Do I care?_

Another step.

_**You can't come back, are you sure you want to proceed?**_

I didn't know or recognize this voice, but I took another step anyway. I believe this answered that question.

_**Run forward and take your light back, it's time it was returned to you.**_

Without reluctance, I ran after the black-clad culprit.

The only problem was, he wasn't there. As I approached the black-iron gates, I saw no one. With fright boiling inside me, I peered up to look through the windows of the Old Mansion. I saw no girl; I saw no inhumane face wanting to hurt me.

It was then that I noticed the world around me was deathly silent. Like in a horror movie full of forsaken suspense. No one wanted to watch nobody wanted to see how the victim would be caught or brutally slaughtered on the spot. How the attacker lurked around them, waiting to strike.

I took a hesitant step backwards.

I didn't need to be here, I must leave-

_**You cannot ever return.**_

The voice appeared back out of nowhere, but it wasn't speaking…it was more like the words were spelled out to me before my eyes, making it look and seem as if they were spoken to me.

My eyes skimmed over the Old Mansion's windows one more time, to find a girl dressed in white and straight locks of light gold hair. If I had been closer, I would've noticed how her eyes were bright blue, full of terror as she clasped her mouth.

I went to turn around, but a strong arm snaked around me and clasped something over my airways. I was out like a light in one second flat.

* * *

My eyes…they burned! From what – too much white. My red orbs fluttered open, blinking rapidly from the bright white that violated my eyesight.

_I hate white…_ I just thought that, but something in me told me I had hated the hue for some time. For reasons I don't know why. I don't remember ever disliking the pure color. Maybe it was because I was being exposed to so much of it after being knocked out…!

Oh right! I sprang awake, but couldn't move. I struggled, but my wrists and ankles were bound too tight to the chair I was sitting in. It was a nice chair I noticed it too was white, but very cushioned.

_What day is it?_ I peered around to my left, but something at the right caught my attention before I did so.

It was squirming. It was black and it probably came up to my elbows if I were standing up. It's 'antennas' or I supposed ears, flopped violently around inside its bubble-like prison. The lanky, claws limbs scratched, pinched, slashed, punched and kicked at the barrier. It couldn't find a way out it seemed no matter what it did.

_Heartless._ Something inside me spoke. This voice was different than the last though, and it wasn't Mewtwo for sure.

"It took us a while, but we found what you have been missing." Someone said in a mysterious tone, as if he was telling a scary tale. I whirled my head around to find a _hologram_ of a man with a head full of red wraps and a single, visible orange eye.

His gloved hands were entwined behind his back and despite the skirt-like bottoms he had on, I hardly found the situation funny enough to laugh at his poorly tailored attire. Instead I sneered mischievously.

"Sorry, I didn't realize my very…_mutated_ black dog had gone missing sir." I replied sarcastically, the man chuckled. The nerve!

"Very witty I see, but fortunately, we were able to locate your heartless." He continued as if I hadn't said anything at all. I growled at this.

"I'm afraid you're a little late for April Fools," I said, my patience thinning greatly.

"Really? I'm not laughing."

"I'm not amused either Grandpa," He stepped towards me, I suppose he was trying to intimidate me – well, it was working – but I was tired of having no answers.

"You _are_ curious aren't you?"

"About what?" I lied impulsively; the man started to circle me.

"About…well, how you know French. Very fluent I hope, otherwise, you master would be ashamed in his grave."

"Or…how you knew Roxas was familiar, yes ring any bells? I'm sure you didn't really recognize him,"

"How do you know that?" Was it just me, or was it that everyone seemed to know everything before the main character of most stories?

"And what about the man you somehow know as Axel, yet he never gave you his name? Well, kind of." My _heartless_ became murderous and zoomed around the bubble like a mad bumblebee. The man stopped, just long enough to watch it plow about in a meaningless frenzy.

"Is seems your heart is enraged, interesting…you are possibly more connected to your heartless than Sora, maybe it has something to do with being the Secret's holder."

"What are you talking about?" This was getting BEYOND frustrating!

"Now, about Axel, you seem to have gotten to know his mouth pretty well-"

"Keep your friggin' nose where it belongs old man!" The fetter around my joints unraveled mysteriously as I stood, getting into a fight stance I magically summoned the Secretive Loner for the first time without another item. I ran at the man and attempted to stab him.

However, my feeble mind registered this hologram more than ever as the attempt went right through him. His image didn't he _fuzz_ too long!

"Ah yes, another wielder of the keyblade, it is of course, expected. The Secret's holder is only trained by the strength of their hearts. That is, when you had a heart."

"Now what are going on about? I'm totally lost!" I cried, the empty pulse thumping painfully in my chest, reminding me I didn't have to search thoroughly to figure out what this guy was ranting about.

"Let me go home!"

"Twilight Town is not your home, Fuu is not your sister, and those people you call friends…they don't even know you exist." He said bluntly yet not unkindly. My mouth fell open.

Suddenly, a black portal (and all too familiar one) appeared out of one of the white walls closing in on me. Then out popped Axel in his flaming glory. When the portal was sucked into the wall, he only _glanced_ at me.

_May he rot in hell. _I thought bitterly as he headed towards the heartless (which was as enthusiastic as ever to get out).

"Axel…?" I wanted to sound deadly, to sound like I would kill him in the end. Yet the weak voice that managed to escape my suddenly stunned lips scared me. What was wrong with me? What was he doing? What did he have in mind? I worriedly pondered as he stopped besides the Shadow.

"Hm…I'm curious about your intentions Axel. What could you, a nobody, gain from releasing that heartless?"

I stared at Axel, my very being in struggle for physical, mental and the little emotional control I had. My keyblade, this Secret Loner felt loose in my hand, but I didn't even recall holding any weapon at the moment.

"I know what'll happen, but what I'm planning is not for you to know. Got it memorized?" Axel spoke calmly, but his spirit was still there. His face was hard, but transformed into a fiery flare in the red man's direction.

"A nobody…wha-Axel? What's going on?" I asked, I sounded terribly hopeless, if not a little lost and hurt. I've never _felt_ this morbid before.

I hardly cared or noticed as the man in red wraps made his exit by basically vanishing into the air. Axel's face softened somewhat as he looked me.

"Well, how do I start…why don't you choose? Do you want to begin with '_you weren't suppose to exist_' part or '_what a nobody is_?' They're practically the same thing."

I dropped my keyblade and gaped at him.

"What? What's…I wasn't suppose to _exist?_"

"That's what I said. Nobodies are shells, well; a leftover from a previous that…how did Vexen put it? We came from those of strong hearts or something. But those hearts are gone; we're only a soul in a body. A nobody. What becomes of that heart resides in this, in the form of a heartless."

I looked from Axel to my calmer heartless; it was now pitifully scarping the inner walls of its bubble jail.

"My heartless has long since been destroyed. But somehow," Axel smiled humorlessly, "DiZ, that guy that was just here. He was able to track and catch your heartless." He pointed at the Shadow.

I recalled what Zexion, another Order member, said before back on Sunset.

"Axel…are you-are you going to fuse me with that?" I asked.

"Funny thing really, but yeah. You could say that," Axel replied calmly.

The heartless went wild.

"You have a lot of nerve you know? Coming in and out of my life like you have in the past year – people would think you owned it! Then I'm dragged into this mess! Then some guy named DiZ goes on telling me no one thinks I exist – which _can't_ be true – and you come bounding in and-"

Axel apparently learned how to teleport without his personal portal (or became REALLY fast) as he instantly appeared right in front of me and placed his slender fingers (I swear, everything about him is slender) on my lips. Silencing me without a brawl.

_I really hate you._

"I'll have my heart soon enough." Axel said quietly, stroking my cheek absently. How would that happened? Did he not just tell me his heartless was eliminated? Either way, through this mad hysteria I was putting myself through, I came up with something logical and somehow unreasonable at the same time.

"It's about_her_ isn't it?" I asked, Axel blinked innocently as his hand fell away from my face. My blazing scarlet eyes connected with his untamed emerald pools. "The girl in the photo you left me." Axel forced out a weak smile, something that surprised me, but nothing could have prepared me for what he was about to do.

Out of nowhere, he lifted my Shadow out from behind him. Holding it by the scruff of its neck with its limbs flailing.

I swat at it before I jumped away. I held up the Secretive Loner in offense and pointed it at Axel, who still held the heartless but with little to no trouble at all.

"You do realize you'll have to fight for her right?" I asked curtly. Axel frowned; pondering with the heartless savagely clawing at him.

"I wouldn't have it any other way." Axel said as he _strolled_ towards me. It then just dawned on me – was I insane? I couldn't face off against him! Mewtwo was right! He was way out of my league! He blew me out of the Struggle arena by _snapping_ his fingers!

Where is Mewtwo anyway? In these times of trouble the hero is supposed to appear out of nowhere and relinquish the antagonist. Where's my hero! Or am I the heroine? I can't be one, what can I do? The realizations were making my insides churn sickly.

I shook my head; clearing out everything except instinct then leaped at Axel.

If I'm going down, I'm going down in a fight.

_Like Master Eleven._

_Who?_

**Our** Master Eleven.

Axel dodged effortlessly, pulling the Shadow with him, and in his other hand he flamed out a chakram. I landed and glared the best I could at him. Yet that chakram was hard to confront, the ends were so sharp!

Sadly, the stupid sharp thing was thrown at me.

"Catch Chenry!" Axel shouted sadistically. I gasped as it spun towards me ominously. This was it, everything would go black again, and this time, everything will stay black.

Well, that's an improvement over white at least.

I closed my eyes, knowing it'll hit me no matter what, so you can see how I was surprised when all I felt were a few strands of hair snipped from my being as the chakram rapidly approached then rapidly spun away. I heard its ends whistle pass my ear.

Yet that wasn't Axel's complete plan.

The chakram wasn't meant to do me harm, it was meant as a distraction.

It worked, as I turned around my temple met Axel's knuckles.

Like I knew everything would, my surroundings left me and I was again, out cold in oblivion.

Axel caught me before I hit the white floor that would sure leak crimson if I ever crashed. With a strong heave, I was in his arms unknowingly and the heartless was dead to the world as well.

Axel opened a nearby pod I never saw when I was conscious; it looked like a giant, white bud. The nearest petal came down on us, then with the utmost care, Axel placed my heartless and I alongside each other.

With that, the bud sealed us away.

* * *

**A/N:**

_Lol, I'm trying to play Pokemon Firered and type at the same time - no do. Um, yeah, I think I'm probably going to need help with my future Roman numerals so if any one can help I would gladly appreciate it! Well, here's the end of Yen's journey, but certainly not Chenry's. Not that Yen won't make an appearence again...good day y'all!_


	19. Whole

**..::Part XVIII::..**

**..::Whole::..**

**Normal POV**

_That was a nice nap…for once._ Chenry took a feather-light step onto the lowered petal wall. As soon as she awoke, it had already been opened. She took a few more steps until she reached the bleached flooring. The bed then sealed itself up again, although she hardly noticed.

She looked around the room; there was nothing but BARE white. She snarled to herself.

_Not more white, wasn't Castle Oblivion enough? Where the hell am I anyway? In its basement? Or attic? Not like I can tell the difference…stupid white everything…_ She finally spotted the door; it surprised her because it wasn't white.

_Thought for sure I would have to feel around the place…pleasurable thought,_ she thought sarcastically as she made her way to the silver-sheeted door and pulled it open. Chenry was taken back that more white didn't greet her. In fact, it was like she jumped into a computer chip. Everything seemed computerized, except for miniature size pods on the side – standing empty.

She strolled past them, eyeing them oddly along the way. She opened another door and came across a square, spacious room. She crossed it cautiously (afraid for any sort of traps) and went through another door. Now she was in an office-computer sort of room. Another door around the bend. She scrunched her nose.

_Great, now it's the Realm of Never-ending Doors, honestly…_ Chenry ignored the numerous, blank screens of a nearby computer and strange machine embedded into the wall. For some reason, she cared even less of her surroundings than she did before, and for one and only one reason.

She had a goal, she knew she wasn't anywhere near her Royal Family and it nettled her that she couldn't serve them from a distance.

_Quen La Mov…I'm introducing you to Death in personally, _As she climbed up a set of stairs, pondering over the last events she had witnessed before she somehow fell asleep did she find something familiar.

The statue in the wall, in between hundreds of books, looking down at the floor was a definite sign of Byozone craftsmanship. Whoever built or had built this place, was Byozonian or constructed it with at least one. Even the floors and the way the stairs were built into going down showed Byozone, even some remaining magic still lingered along the edges.

Chenry couldn't see the minute strands, but her very being was sensitive enough to pick up on them.

She smirked.

_Sure, I know the architecture, the LEAST important thing at the moment…_ she shook her head and walked out into the hall. The whole lobby represented her world's glory, except the outside. She scanned the courtyard through the filthy glass after she descended down the stairs.

It appeared no one had lived up stairs for a good number of years. Whatever inhabited this place spent most of its time down below.

She then walked outside and strolled down the path towards a batch of woods.

* * *

Hayner, Olette and Pence were staring at the Job ads in the Tram Common.

"We have a project to do y'know, it's only half done." Olette nagged at the two boys, they sighed.

"Pence said he got the rest of the photos, we'll scrap-book them tonight." Hayner persisted, "I want some dough so we can at least have ONE day down at the beach." Olette folded her arms.

"You mean _I_ will scrap-book them," Olette huffed.

"Um, yeah, of course, you're best at it." Hayner complimented, she blushed a light pink.

"Yeah, but still, school starts on the day after tomorrow-"

"Yo! Can you guys tell me where I am?" They jerked around, for they have never heard a voice like that before, and they knew everybody in Twilight Town.

Olette was first to speak to the slightly taller girl.

"You're in Twilight Town, I'm Olette. This is Pence and-"

"It's Hayner, who are _you_? I've never seen you before," Hayner asked suspiciously, Chenry gave him an agitated look.

"My name's Chenry, and same goes to you," she retorted, Olette bit her lip nervously.

"Sorry about him," Olette said as Hayner crossed his arms, trying to look intimidating perhaps.

_Shame, it doesn't work. _Chenry inwardly mocked the boy's determination in scaring her. She turned her attention back to Olette, who had begun talking again.

"It's just that…you look a lot like…Fuu. Are you two related?" Olette asked nervously, she became relieved when Chenry's face softened and gave a perplexed expression.

"Fuu? Never heard of someone with that name," Chenry said, even though a very small bug inside her told her she did, but Chenry could have sworn she never heard of the name.

The three exchanged looks.

"Well, it was nice meeting you, but we have some work to do. Hopefully we'll see you again," Olette politely dismissed them all and the three walked away. Chenry then eyed what they were reading before.

_Hm…those are odd jobs. _Chenry then saw her face.

**WANTED**

**Chenry Eleven**

**Crime: Murder and illegal use of Banned Magic**

_Maybe those kids were afraid of me or something...all well...they have the wrong person! _Chenry knew immediately Quen La Mov cooked this story up to get her hauled back to Byozone faster – with the rest of the world against her. Chenry snatched the paper from the board and crumbled it up fiercely.

"Quite a temper – _Chenry_," she froze, the paper a crinkled mess in between her angry fists. She whipped around, nearly hurting her neck when she spotted two men dressed in dark suits, though one seemed vain enough to open his at the collar, revealing tidbits of his well-defined chest. The other wore shades, bald and standing a good foot or so over the other – which was a redhead with a ponytail.

_Are those tattoos or strands of hair? _Chenry wondered idly as she carelessly tossed the ball in a nearby trash can without looking. The other two didn't look too impressed. That irked Chenry somewhat, kids _paid_ her to see some of her little tricks she learned as her accuracy training progressed with her master.

"It's obvious you know you I am," Chenry growled as she adopted a serious look, her red eyes flashing. "But I'm unaware of your identities?"

"Reno," the redhead said with a nice smirk of his own.

"Rude," Shades added. Chenry smiled.

"Nice names, short, simple and easy to remember. Tell me, did you come up with them all by yourselves?" Chenry asked snidely, the one called Reno furrowed his eyebrows.

"Don't get testy with us just because we're here to arrest you." Reno growled.

"_You_ are going to arrest _me_? Whatever for?" Chenry mocked.

"Murder and illegal use of Banned Magic," Rude stated cleanly, Chenry sweat-dropped.

"You believe that bastard?" Chenry asked, her pride stung slightly. "Wait, scratch that, just tell me, seeing as you've been hired to arrest me – it's obvious – you must know what's going on in Byozone!"

"Um, well, yeah King Quen La Mov did send us after you…after Organization XIII betrayed him." Reno answered, putting his hands in his pocket. Chenry instantly recalled Axel back when she had a fight with Quen La Mov.

"Great, how in the world did they betray him to the point he had to send you? No offense!" Chenry asked.

"None taken, not that we know exactly, just know they didn't complete their end of the deal or something like that…" Reno replied.

"So…" Chenry narrowed her eyes. "What do you plan on doing, you can't arrest me. I did nothing wrong except try to kill him,"

"Well, the poster had an error – WANTED for _Attempted_ Murder." Said Reno; Chenry stuck out her tongue at him. He snickered.

"Anyway…we were all for the guy, until he cut our paychecks…" Chenry nearly body-faulted.

"How can I trust you two over a little issue of munny?"

"It's not a matter of trust, trust is just a bonus when it comes to deals-"

"Unless there's a deeper reason behind the whole thing,"

"Here," Rude handed her a dark, up-to-date cell phone. Chenry took it curiously, she never used one before, they weren't used often in Byozone – mostly everyone was telepathic, including Quen La Mov. By _mostly_ everyone, she meant everyone BUT herself.

_A bunch of stupid Psychics, _Chenry never felt too close to Byozone civilians, so she was often inside the palace. The Royal Family and Master Eleven were all she needed anyway.

Reno smiled, in a kind way.

"If you need some back-up, give us a call. Don't worry though, it's not bugged." Reno explained before they strolled away and around a corner.

Chenry sweat-dropped when she took in the fact they customized it themselves, her left eye brow twitched at the chibi-Reno head attached by a string to the top of the cell.

_Egotist._ She bluntly thought.

She flipped it open and scrolled around the menu as she resumed her walk. She nearly dropped the phone after she scrolled onto Reno and Rude's respective numbers when she bumped into someone head-on.

"Sorry 'bout that, I wasn't looking-" Chenry went silent as she peered at the person she ran into.

Practically her_clone!_

It was a girl, no taller or shorter than Chenry. She had bright, white hair above the shoulder and blazing ruby eyes. Chenry was taken back. Yet while Chenry clothed in a long-sleeved, black under-armor shirt and slightly bulky silvery-gray white best including black Khakis (that ended a little below her knees) and white trainers without backs. The other Chenry wore a sleeveless vest and tan capris and purple shoes without backs.

They nearly had the same taste. If only the girl had a chain around her waist with the Traditional Mickey head attached like Chenry, Chenry would believe they had very similar wardrobes.

It was rather awkward; Chenry fidgeted under the girl's gaze as she seemed to read her very soul.

Then at last, she seemed to have lost interest.

"**STRANGE.**" She said, before leaving Chenry alone again. Soon after, Chenry pocketed her new cell.

* * *

Dusk bathed Twilight Town in its dying light as shops began to close and the train was shutting off for the night. Chenry was still wandering around, thankfully she had gotten to Sunset Residential before the train station closed. Taking the train however, meant the last of her munny (of whatever she actually and surprisingly had). She would've stayed back in the Tram Common, but she had explored the sandlots, Market Street and the Station Heights, she had found nothing that sparked her intellect.

How could she get to Byozone City when no one has even heard of it? Were these people oblivious to the other worlds out there?

Possibly. Back in Byozone, only those homed in the Royal Palace knew anything of their new connections to undiscovered planes. It intrigued Quen La Mov, which led to Master Eleven ever suspecting him of disloyalty, but that was another story for another chapter.

Chenry strolled through the Residential, every once and a while peering over the low fencing, beyond that drop-off was the productive town of Twilight. At sundown, it was truly amazing.

She was in a small courtyard of sorts with a narrow waterfall gushing out of a hole in the wall. Chenry approached it and reached for it, when her fingers made contact with the relaxing, cool liquid she jumped back. When she looked at her reflection, it _wasn't_ her.

Now it was.

Chenry continued to stare at it until a soft _Pop_made her snap back down to reality.

She turned around and the first thing he said sparked familiarity in her.

"**You have returned."** The cat-like creature stated.

"So I have, you have to tell me where you got that water. It worked wonders – literally!" Chenry laughed, the pokemon chuckled.

"**I know, or else I would not have bestowed it upon you."**

"So…what's your name?"

"I am Mewtwo," 

"Chenry,"

"**Charmed."**

"You seem thrilled to meet me in person," Chenry joked with a smirk, but it melted off her face when he began speaking in a serious tone.

"**There is a disturbance."** He claimed, he looks out over Twilight Town and Chenry follows his example. Chenry gasped.

It was a meteor plummeting down on Twilight Town!

* * *

**A/N:**

_What do y'all think the meteor is! I tell you what, it's not a destructive transformer! I think you guys will like him in the story even though he doesn't belong to Disney! GUESS!_

_Over and Out. Have a great Thanksgiving! _


	20. The Dragon Knights

**..::Part XIX::..**

**..::The Dragon Knights::.. **

"Hmm? Haley's Comet coming down for a visit?" Chenry asked sarcastically, appearing quite indifferent. Mewtwo stared up at it.

"**No, it emits a living aura."** Chenry shot him a weird glance.

"You're kidding me? That thing coming at us now is still _alive?_" Chenry gasped, Mewtwo peered back at her.

"**Apparently, it must have a high tolerance for extreme heat."** Mewtwo stated blandly.

"…" Chenry looked back up at the 'comet' zooming in on Twilight's beach. "Archaea?"

"**You cannot be referring to bacteria?"** Mewtwo said, slightly perturbed by how calm the albino was. Chenry shrugged.

"You're a Psychic, can't you cast a barrier? One strong enough to lessen the impact?" Chenry asked curiously, all the while people screaming (once they noticed the rapidly approaching ball of fire) for help and running indoors.

"…" Mewtwo raised a paw and the fingers sprang open to reveal the palm. Instantly Chenry watched as the body of the feline pokemon was engulfed in a lilac light. As the object became brighter, Chenry had to turn away and cover her eyes. Not even noticing Mewtwo doing the same thing.

_Crash!_ The light evaporated and it took several blinks for Chenry to regain proper vision. She glanced up at Mewtwo.

"Well done, where did it land?" she asked with a grin. Mewtwo (already recovered) looked at her, something flashing in the back of his eyes.

"**What would you have done if I was not capable of slowing it down?"** he asked, Chenry waved it off.

"Died I suppose," she responded with cheer. Mewtwo watched her – bewildered. The albino tapped his shoulder, he nearly jumped, he didn't notice her approach.

"**Yes?"**

"Can you teleport us to the beach?" she asked, her blood-red eyes wide. He sighed inwardly as he held up an arm.

"**Hold on."**

"Yes sir!"

* * *

The sun was almost swallowed by the energetic sea. Turns out, Mewtwo crash-landed it into the ocean, creating a mini-tsunami of sorts to rise and fall upon the beach. Crabs, muscles and the like scampered along the sands at a loss. A conch shell lay alone half-buried near the ebbing waves. Other than that, everything appeared normal except for the two visitors other than Mewtwo and Chenry. 

"You know…I wanted to try texting you but no! You just had to come before I could do so!" Reno whined as he and Rude approached them. Mewtwo watched them wearily. Chenry raised an eyebrow.

"Hey, it's not my fault. There was this _comet_ coming down on us, and when we realized we were still alive, we _had_ to investigate!" Chenry chimed.

"We see," Rude replied. Reno looked out at the troubled blue waters.

"Soo…?" Reno started, looking over at Chenry. "What do you suppose that was?"

"Haley's Comet, but Mewtwo here thinks it was a living, breathing critter." Chenry answered.

"Really? So, Mewtwo…erm, what do you think?" Reno turned to the pokemon.

They all stood at the edge of where the water reached, not noticing the rising head emerging from the stubborn undertoes.

"**It is alive, I am certain."** Mewtwo stated, looking at Reno like it was the most obvious thing on the planet.

"How do you know?" Reno asked, Mewtwo looked back out at the sea. He smirked.

"**There is my proof."** When Reno, Chenry and Rude followed Mewtwo's gaze. They found themselves looking at a large reptile.

At least, it looked like a reptile. It had scales and the such.

"What is it?" Reno asked.

"A dragon," Chenry answered her tone suddenly serious. The said dragon was lamely dragging itself from the deep, hacking up gallons of salty H2O and attempting to keep itself from falling beneath the surface. Its efforts already got the water receding just a little below its knees.

"It's hurt?" Reno questioned, narrowing his eyes on the weak creature.

"Well, it did just smash into the ocean from who knows what miles per hour from Neverland. What do you think?" Chenry growled as she broke into a run towards the dragon.

It was no bigger than a horse, the wings a tarnished copper that could've been golden-yellow. The scales were a drenched, dark purple with dewy silver claws at the end of each reptilian paw. The snout wasn't much longer than Chenry's arm and the horns and spikes appeared battle-weary. At the end of its tail was a rugged spike, now churning harmlessly in the rip tides behind it.

"Be careful!" As soon as Rude cried out, the dragon's (its eyes had been half-lidded) eyes snapped open, displaying a raging azure before blasting a feckless flame at Chenry.

Chenry's feet splashed around the tired flares as they instantly disintegrated to embers. They sizzled when they hit the water.

Chenry came to a halt.

She raised her left palm to the dragon's face.

Her eyes were a faded red lacking pupils

Its eyes closed quickly and along with its great arched back, a good two hundred pounds and long neck; the dragon fell to its side where it created a small shower. Chenry dropped her hand and her eyes returned to normal.

She spun around towards the stunned threesome.

"Mewtwo! Let's hurry and transport him to Sunset Hill!" Chenry shouted, the three males exchanged expressions of confusion.

Half an hour and a large _pop_ later, the dragon was slumbering peacefully under a lukewarm blanket (warmed by a fire). It looked like a cat, its paws tucked in beneath it and head and tail curled around its body.

As it slept, the sun fully disappeared and the four sat quietly around the fire Chenry conjured.

"I didn't know you knew _Fira_," Reno admitted as he poked at the blazing fire. Rude watched silently as the fire licked at the night sky, sending its weak embers up to the heavens – but they failed.

"Of course, its one of the basic element spells, no keyblade wielder can go without magic…or so Master Eleven told me." Chenry responded her voice barely a whisper when she finished. Reno looked from the fire to Chenry and back.

"You loved him didn't you?" He asked, just audible enough for her to hear. Chenry nodded.

"Yes, whatever Quen La Mov's been spoon-feeding the press are lies." Chenry stated simply, but the venom was undeniably there. "I'm sure the Royal Family's not buying his words,"

"With his death, does that make you their new advisor?" Reno asked curiously. Mewtwo and Rude zoned into the conversation and watched Chenry with scrutiny.

"Of course, _I_have the Secret. Only the one who knows it can be the advisor, his or her apprentice takes over when the master believes them ready or…"

"Or?"

Chenry continued with a harsh tone.

"…or when the master cannot deal with life any longer," Chenry swallowed hard, not liking how tears dared to poke at her corneas. Master Eleven could've lived for thousands of years, but decided not to wait any longer for rescue and when it eventually came, he gave what could've saved him. Leaving Chenry alone to deal with Quen La Mov.

Millions of thoughts revolving around that always bugged her.

_What would happen if Quen La Mov caught me and tortured me like Master Eleven?_

_What if I can't take it? I don't have an apprentice to ease my pain!_

_What if I must deal with it forever?_

_How would I pass on the Secret anyway?_

Chenry restrained herself from crying and thanked the dark blanket of night for covering her reddening eyes.

"Sounds like you got the raw end of the deal," Reno stated with a low exhale.

"You'll be fine." Rude claimed as he stared into the fire.

Chenry felt slightly encouraged.

A scraping of a paw had them jerk around (or in Mewtwo's case, calmly look around) to find a stirring dragon.

"Where the hell…am I?" it growled out in a youthful, but beaten voice. Chenry stood up.

"Relax, you're in good hands." Chenry replied, the dragon snapped its snout in her direction where crimson met burning pools of blue lava.

"I mean _location_? Can't you think right?" It was now a 'he' as Chenry looked taken back.

"Sunset Hill of Twilight Town, where are you from?" Chenry asked, the dragon snorted as it fell back down on its belly after attempting to stand up.

"Pff…didn't I fall from Hell? My scales are itchy!" The dragon snarled.

"You must have Heaven and Hell switched, otherwise you would've _risen_ from Hell." Chenry replied.

"**Is it wise to give it 'cheek'?"** Mewtwo asked as he too stood, his thick tail giving a small swish.

"No,_really_, I was only supposing my scales were itchy because they're only itchy if their _burned_! Only the fiery pits of Hell can _burn_ dragon scales! At least mine anyway," the dragon growled, Chenry looked up in thought.

"Dry ice can burn dragon scales, it was necessary for fatal illnesses." Chenry thought out loud.

"**This is hardly the time to be telling a dragon why some of its species are slain,"** Mewtwo said with a huff. The dragon glared at Chenry steadily.

"Then we'd use the hide for clothing – y'know, gloves and stuff? Some toxins couldn't be handled without thick protection. Then there's their fangs, crush them not only do you get some poison for snake bite antidotes, but points make nice cutting knives…" Chenry's babble only seemed to ignite the dragon's temper.

"Well! We eat humans and-" Chenry whirled on him.

"Your kind doesn't, you prefer sheep and armadillos." Chenry stated, the dragon's head was no stretched up to her eye level and it looked confused.

"How do you know?"

"Master Eleven made me study a good three months over dragonkind, _you're_ a Homeland Dragon." Chenry said.

"_Homeland Dragon?_" Reno repeated, the dragon gave a proud snort that blew smoke from his nostrils.

"That's right, my kind is the PRIDE of the dragon race!"

"I'm Chenry, this Reno, Rude and Mewtwo." Chenry said, pointing to each respective character. The dragon's eyes followed each name to match it with a figure.

"Name's Spyro." The dragon breathed, then sleepily, passed out, his head making a loud_ thump_ against the ground. Smoke curled out from the end of his snout and from between his teeth as he lightly snored.

"He'll be fine, that's a sign he's regaining health." Chenry stated.

"What are you going to do now Chenry? Are you going straight to Byozone City?" Reno asked. Chenry looked at him, then looked away.

"No."

"But-"

"I have my reasons, I want to travel around for a bit. See new places and stuff," Chenry explained, Reno and Rude became serious (for Rude even more serious than he was before).

"Than you should know something Chenry," Reno stated, she looked at him.

**An hour later**

"So these…Heartless things are taking over the universe?" Chenry asked, Spyro was awake again with his forepaws crossed in front of him. His wings were folded beneath the cooling blanket with his neck arched back to let him look at the four beings.

The fire was still very lively due to Chenry's magic and Mewtwo was hovering silently a little ways from the group.

"One world at a time, that's why there are keyblade wielders – like you – that prevent them from doing so." Reno explained, Chenry nodded with understanding.

"Master Eleven and I were both keyblade wielders, it's how a master knows the next Secret bearer – if the apprentice can summon a keyblade." Chenry stated, Spyro yawned.

"Sounds like they'll be coming for you soon," Spyro said when his yawn ended. Rude nodded.

"Heartless seek out the keyblade," Rude stated.

"And take a guess who just got a power to control them," Reno said, Chenry's eyes narrowed and they flashed ominously.

"You're not saying…not Quen La Mov-"

"The one and only," Reno finished, Chenry gawked at him before staring at a tuff of grass between her feet.

"No way…"

"Sorry, that's how it is. Another reason we backed out, can't be in an inner circle with Heartless, it's dangerous." Reno said, Chenry gave him a look.

"You struck me as the kind of guy to take the chance," Chenry replied, Reno shrugged.

"Rude's must've been rubbing off on me than," said Reno. Chenry smiled.

"Then it's good you got out when you did, a nice decision on your part Reno," Chenry complimented.

"Why, I'm touched!" Reno cried, feigning a heart attack. Chenry giggled. Spyro looked at her.

"How ARE you going to go around worlds? With these Heartless crawling around, wouldn't it be risky to use set passageways?" Spyro asked.

"Set passageways? How'd you know about those?" Reno asked, Spyro snorted proudly again.

"My race is ancient, there's still a few Elders around from the old days when Heartless tried to seize world hearts long ago. Now they're back…" Spyro blinked and looked up at the stars. "It was my race that locked them away up till they got out somehow, along with the help of-" he shuddered "-_Dragon Knights_."

"?" The group watched him eagerly.

"You honestly expect me to tell my whole kind's history, that would take_centuries!_" Spyro growled as they continued to stare. "Okay, fine, _years_. Happy?"

"Just tell us who these Dragon Knights were?" Chenry pressed.

"They…" he sighed heavily, he was obviously not anxious to share the Homeland Dragon past with just anybody. "…Dragon Knights were another name for keyblade wielders way back, I think it became _Chasers_ or something of the like to just plain keyblade wielders. They were called Dragon Knights because they won battles with giant blades shaped likes keys, they saved the Homeland world from being swallowed once…and they thought it was in our debt to serve them forever."

"That's…horrible," Chenry said, but Spyro instantly cheered up.

"But my kind wouldn't have it! They helped the Dragon Knights create paths to different realms with our _Ether_ magic, but we rebelled when our eggs started going missing. We thought those who wield the keyblade were extinct…but we thought wrong." Spyro ended neatly, looking away in slight disgust.

"Well, sorry." Chenry said, scratching the back of her head nervously.

"Chenry," said girl peered over at Reno. "There are many keyblade wielders, you are one of them, but despite what worlds you all came from you all have one thing in common – sealing world hearts away from the clutches of the Heartless."

"Oooh, nice descriptive speech Reno! But don't worry, I'm not as clueless as some of those novice wielders, thanks for caring though!" Chenry said, beaming at Reno. He chuckled.

"You're not worried at all?" he asked.

"When something comes around to worry about, then I will be." Chenry replied. She turned to the purple dragon.

"So…this_Ether_ magic, can you use it?" she asked, Spyro held his head high.

"Sure! I just need to practice, but I can only practice when I'm doing it." Spyro answered.

"Could you do it while teleporting?" Chenry asked curiously, Mewtwo suddenly jumped in.

"**What are you saying?"** Mewtwo asked, his face a mix of shock and bewilderment.

"Our way of traveling, Master Eleven claimed humans needed Gummi ships to travel along passageways set by the worlds themselves. Yet we don't have a Gummi, but _you_ (being the awesome critter you are) can pop us here and there! Spyro's magic can guide you!" Chenry claimed. Spyro and Mewtwo looked at her as if she had just asked them to marry her.

"Are you nuts?" Spyro exclaimed, he hoisted himself to his paws.

"**I agree, I have to know where I am teleporting."** Mewtwo said.

"And I've never heard of _Ether_ connecting to…erm…teleportation." Spyro added.

"Is it not possible?" Chenry asked, looking at them innocently.

They both started.

"…"

"I…dunno," Spyro muttered.

"Then let's try it!" Chenry cried.

"Do you know how messed up we could get if we're not careful though! If I don't watch it, the _Ether_could pop us over a lava pool or something!" said Spyro.

"**Teleportation is not as easy as it looks, it requires a lot of my concentration and stamina."**

Chenry looked from the pokemon to the dragon. She sighed and brought her hand to her cheek.

"So what you two are telling me is that you aren't up for it? That you don't think you're capable of doing it? Or are you scared?" Chenry asked. The two looked at each other, Reno and Rude watched on.

"Um…we have a Gummi?" Reno claimed.

"Is there enough room for me, Mewtwo AND Spyro?" Chenry asked, Reno gave a chuckle.

"I guess not,"

"It's settled then," Chenry proclaimed, Mewtwo and Spyro looked at her. "We'll travel by _Teleportation_ and led by _Ether_!"

"**I may have a better idea,"** Mewtwo intervened. **"I can create a bubble of sorts – a barrier around us – that I can lift and move however I please. How about we let _Ether_ create a pathway only we can travel inside the bubble."**

Silence settled over them.

"You did NOT just claim you could do something as simple as that when here I was babbling on like a FOOL over something nearly impossible to DO!" Chenry practically yelled.

The plan was settled and Chenry ranted on for the rest of the night.

* * *

**A/N:**

_Just so people aren't confused, when Reno asks Chenry if she loved Eleven, that didn't mean love love, I mean like father-daughter sort of love. Hopefully you didn't think that, but I thought I should mention it just in case._

_All right, who is thrilled about Spyro! I am! I love him! I wanted someone fiery to agitate Chenry and I thought of SPYRO! They both have a heck of a tongue and most certainly be the Sora and Donald of the group. Mewtwo isn't much of a Goofy though, more like Uncle Scrooge LOL, but Robin Hood can take Goofy's role (whoops! did I spoil that! XD)_

_ Also, Chenry is very informative, but her knowledge goes as far as what she was taught in books. Mewtwo and Spyro will be helping her through tough spots and along the way, be developing friendships she never dreamed possible (remember, she did mention how she wasn't liked by Byozone citizens and apparently not Quen La Mov)  
_

_Stay tuned! It's time to travel!_

**Jingles: **_We still don't own Kingdom Hearts. _


	21. Beginning of a Journey

**..::Part XX::..**

**..::Beginning of a Journey::.. **

"You're leaving? So soon?" Chenry stared at the brunette; Olette's eyes were wide and curious. The shopkeeper handed Chenry a bag of supplies she had asked for and Chenry thanked her before turning towards the girl.

"Yeah, sorry. I thought you guys had school today?" Chenry asked, Olette nodded.

"It's almost five, we've been out for about an hour and a half…are you sure you want to leave so soon?" she seemed taken with Chenry, and the albino didn't understand why. She didn't think she was much of a people-person, she was more of a people-watcher, occasionally a talker but mostly an observer. Chenry's eyes shined with sympathy. She liked this girl, she was kinder than the average Byozonian, then again, most of everyone in Twilight Town was.

If she wasn't so thankful for the Royal Family and Master Eleven she would've wished to have been brought here.

"Sorry, I don't have much of a choice in the matter – but I'm sure I'll come back every now and then." Chenry stated evenly, actually not certain at all if she would return. However, the reply did cheer Olette up.

"Great! By the way, there were two men leaving Twilight Town but before they actually left, they told me to tell you where they were going." Olette said, she appeared quite confused. "Radiant Garden?"

"Hm…?" Chenry had never heard of the place, it didn't even sound familiar.

"Oh, okay, thanks Olette," Chenry said anyway while in her mind she raced to find out what this 'Radiant Garden' was.

After saying farewell to the younger brunette, Chenry made her way to Station Heights where she promised to take the train and meet Mewtwo and Spyro at Sunset Hill before dark.

For the past several hours while Chenry shopped for supplies and the like, she received several odd glances. Not only from Olette and co. but some of the shopkeepers like that Jackie Chan guy and she believed his niece. Then there was some old lady with a tall blonde girl that glanced at her from the corner of their eyes.

_Okay, I'll admit, I was seriously creeped out back there._ Chenry mentally admitted as she ascended the last bit of Market Street and entered the spacious platform of Station Heights.

What really irked her was how they actually full-blown_ stared_, like they saw no rudeness in it at all. Were they expecting her not to yell at them or something…well, she didn't even though they kept looking at her but still…why would they be looking at her for? Sure, she was an albino human; those weren't exactly common nowadays.

In the end, Chenry brushed it off. She would stare at strange-looking people too if she didn't look in the mirror everyday – wait, she didn't. Well, she grew up in a wacky environment called Byozone City. It was full of weirdoes, Chenry personally named them wackpots (the drugs were nicknamed Wack not Crack). When she shared this with Master Eleven, he just shook his head and gave her a brisk tap on her head with his oriental staff.

_His staff!_ What had Quen La Mov done with her master's magic staff? It was horribly important to her master; Chenry remembered as she ordered her tickets then climbed up the stairs to search out her train.

The Staff of Valor was an Advisor's mark of rank. What it did, Chenry wasn't entirely sure as Master Eleven never explained it to her fully.

When she spotted her train she hurried towards it and got in right before the doors began to slide shut.

Every time Chenry gazed upon it, she immediately knew it wasn't for her. It was power she didn't want, didn't _yearn_ for. Chenry didn't even _ask_ for the Secret. Knowing the Secret, just _bearing_ the stupid thing wasn't helping her case. But if she had the keyblade, why would she need a dumb old staff?

Was it required to be the Advisor if she knew the Secret? Heck, she didn't even know what the Secret did!

The train rolled down the tracks; the movement relaxing Chenry's tense muscles and she sunk into the seat's plush. She gave a loud sigh; there was no one else on the train, so no one heard her.

She now realized she didn't want to be an Advisor to Byozone City, well, actually she made that decision long ago. She was going to tell her master that but he had gone missing and she had to act in his place – forcing her to experience actions of an advisor's rank that she didn't want. She wasn't any use to the job anyway, she couldn't keep scrolls and books straight, she was horribly unorganized and preferred tossing things around.

It used to drive Master Eleven crazy she remembered with a smirk.

"Hurry," 

_I'm coming as fast as the train goes._ Chenry thought back, Mewtwo's voice inside her head making her snap back into reality.

"**You have news."**

Chenry growled.

Stupid mindreader… 

"**I am a Psychic, not a mind-reader."**

_Same difference._

"The news?" Ever heard of Radiant Garden? 

"…**cannot say I have."**

Perhaps- 

"**-we will come across it during our travels."**

Stay out of my thoughts! 

"**It is easy to intrude, I should teach you proper mind blockage."**

Fascinating, another master… "Think of me as a wandering scholar," 

_Boo._

"Excuse me?" Fine, can you teach me to teleport too? 

"**Maybe when you grow up."**

It's not like I can anyway smartalec… "Then why did you suggest it?" 

Chenry growled as the train came to a halt and she walked out of the opening doors. She was looking down as she strolled around the corner, only to look up and find the strangest thing.

The boy – Pence, she thinks – is hopping up and down the stairs descending down to Sunset Residential. Chenry cocked her head; it appeared he was counting to himself.

"1…2…3…4…5…no…no…" he muttered under his breath, Chenry's red eyes became curious.

"Is there a reason you're counting the stairs? Or are you just that bored," Chenry asked, Pence stopped at the bottom and looked up at her. He grinned boyishly.

"I'm trying to figure it all out," Pence said as he looked back down at the stairs in front of him. Chenry grinned.

"If you keep staring, they might just do a trick." Chenry said, slightly sarcastic. Pence looked up at her with what looked like Pandora's box's hope in his eyes.

"You know about them too? Do you know if they're true?" asked Pence; he started bounce lightly on the balls of his feet. Chenry went down the stairs to join him before giving him a puzzled look.

"Know about what? How the stairs are the same going up AND down?" Chenry replied, Pence became downcast as quickly as he had become upcast.

"Oh…so this Wonder is a fake after all, maybe they're different on a certain date. Man, I don't want to come here every DAY…" Pence was muttering to himself again.

"May I ask what in the worlds are you talking about?" Chenry asked, Pence looked up at her.

"Before school started we scrap-booked our project over the Seven Wonders of Twilight Town, it was the effort we put into finding out if they were true or not that was really the report." Pence sighed heavily, as if in defeat. "Turns out, they were a bunch of phonies made up by the locals who had nothing better to do."

"Sounds like you guys had fun," Chenry said with a nervous look. Pence shook his head.

"It was, for a bit, until we discovered there wasn't anything WONDERFUL about the Seven Wonders. It would've been cool if the Old Mansion's was at least somewhat true…"

"The Old Mansion? What was that Wonder?" Chenry asked, that was where she had escaped from wasn't it? She didn't find any other mansions in Twilight.

"It was said that a girl stood at one of the windows, but we found it just to be a curtain hung up in a draft. Nothing special," Pence sounded disappointed.

"Um, well, sorry."

"No prob, I just came her to double-check. Where are you heading?" Pence asked warmly, the sadness thoroughly leaving his being for the time being.

"Antarctica, I'm planning on riding belugas bareback." Chenry answered without missing a beat, Pence stared at her.

"Really?"

"No, I'm truly going to a jungle! To battle off Aztecs and conquer their temples and defeat their gods!" Chenry cried as she pretended to wield a sword and slashed at the air. Pence continued to stare at her, but now looking a bit more confused.

"You're a weird one," he said, Chenry grinned.

"Better believe it, but to be bluntly honest, I don't have a clue. Ever heard of a place called Radiant Garden?" Chenry asked, Pence looked up in thought then gave her a shrug.

"Never heard of it, but I can look it up if you want. Twilight Town's Library has got have something on it." Pence encouraged.

"Well, you get to that. In the meantime I might be gone for a while, do take care ya hear?" Chenry said, Pence nodded as he held out his hand.

"You know," he started to say as Chenry grasped his offered hand and they both gave a firm shake. "You feel so_familiar_, I haven't known you for more than a few days so…why do I feel…I dunno, so sad that you're leaving Twilight Town?"

Could this have something to do with everyone's behavior today? Chenry wondered.

"The feeling, I'm afraid, isn't mutual. I've never met any of you before, I'm positive." Chenry replied, Pence nodded.

"Yeah, same here except the feeling of course…well, yeah, good luck on wherever you're going." Pence stated, letting go and suddenly feeling bashful. Chenry nodded.

"Thanks, say bye to Hayner for me. I've already seen Olette."

"Probably down in the sandlots," Pence said with a laugh as if it were an inside joke.

"Later," Chenry said as she made her way towards Sunset Hill.

"Bye for now!"

* * *

"What took you so long?" Spyro snarled as he got to his feet, the dragon had been staying out of sight for the day so he wouldn't scare off the villagers. Mewtwo was Mewtwo, being out of a sight for the last twenty-four hours. 

"Got pulled over for conversation, which was (in fact) about counting the stairs up and down. Believe me, it's baffling!" Chenry claimed, Spyro gave her a look that clearly stated "you're crazy and I want nothing more to do with you." Mewtwo didn't appear moved at all by the strange reply. Chenry was willing to bet Mewtwo was listening in on the conversation the whole time and therefore, knew what her babble was about. Chenry inwardly growled, she didn't like how she couldn't keep mysteries from him…wait!

"Mewtwo! If you can read minds and stuff, can you tell me about this thing!" Chenry was thinking about the Secret, maybe he could figure out its unspoken answer but Mewtwo shook his head.

"**I know only what the mind I look into knows,"** Mewtwo replied. Chenry snorted, well; at least he was kind about it. Spyro looked from one to the other, but decided not to ask. The dragon shifted his paws.

"Could we go like, sometime in this century?" Spyro's throat rumbled.

"Chill Scaly," Chenry said then she looked at Mewtwo. "Yeah, what he said. Let's get a move on!" Spyro raised a brow at her.

"Impatient are we?" Spyro smirked.

"You're one to talk," Chenry retorted, Spyro grunted as Mewtwo's eyes began to glow. A bright blue sphere surrounded them and Chenry couldn't help but get excited.

"Yes! We're gonna float!" Chenry shouted as the sphere began to gain height with them inside. When they were about five feet from the ground, Mewtwo's eyes gazed at Spyro.

"Dude, are we going to move?"

"**Did we not agree on you leading us?"** Mewtwo questioned, Spyro gained a dark shade of violet on his scaly cheeks.

"Oh…right," he mumbled, Chenry chuckled. Spyro closed his eyes and he too began to glow except instead of blue, he bore the light of golden-yellow. A moment later, a line shot out, parallel to them out towards the east. Spyro still hadn't opened his eyes and appeared in deep concentration.

"Do we follow it?" Chenry asked, Mewtwo didn't answer but stared at the line that emitted a calming sort of aura.

"**It is our trail, our path alone."** Chenry knew he was referring to the Heartless passageways and figured Mewtwo was sensing for their life forms along Spyro's Ether.

"Let's go," Chenry encouraged. "**Let's,"** Mewtwo agreed as for a flitting second, time stood still. Then within Chenry's next blink, they zoomed down the line. Where it was taking them none (not even Spyro) of them knew.

* * *

In another world, safe because its heart had been locked away from the Heartless' greedy claws. Robin Hood stood outside of the gates, but he suddenly leaped to his feet when a golden-yellow line shot out from the darkness of Traverse Town's surroundings and snapped on to the ground at his feet. 

He reached for his bow and an arrow instinctively as he noticed a bright speck of blue heading his way.

* * *

A/N:

Okay, is it just me or are the B, I, U and middle setting not working? It's making me mad! Aspendragon doesn't like being mad!

Jingles: Are you referring to yourself in third person?

No.

Jingles: Yes, you are.

Notta.

Jingles:...

Anyway, when Mewtwo talks in this chapter some of his quotes aren't bold like they're supposed to be but I think you can tell when he's talking. Bye for now! Oh, and the Staff of Valor will be important, see, a lot of Master Eleven's stuff is going to be used by Quen La Mov (as a villain) so Chenry won't be taking that very well when she confronts him. For right now though, she doesn't want to return to be a loyal advisor and save her Royal Family. You'll get more into depth about that later. I want to concentrate on her budding romance with Axel so bad! (WARNING: There will be fluff and some inappropriate material - not NC-17 mind you, I'm not old enough yet LOL) and her friendships with Mewtwo, Spyro and Robin (who is finally going to gain a proper character roll in this fic woot!)

Over and out.


	22. Meeting the Heartless

**..::Part XXI::..**

**..::Meeting the Heartless::..**

"Hi!" This was the first thing said (by Chenry) as the blue ball (created by Mewtwo) made contact with the ground where the golden-yellow line – called Ether (made by Spyro) had connected with the world's heart.

Robin Hood was so stunned as Chenry and Spyro made a small 'thump' as their feet hit the ground. Mewtwo continued to hover, he seemed unaffected, if not a LITTLE fatigued from it. Chenry gave him a sideways glance, but deemed him fine then looked over at the anthro fox.

"Name's Chenry, this is Scal-I mean Spyro and behind me's Mewtwo. Who are you and what world are we on?" Chenry introduced, Spyro nipped at her shoulder.

"What?" she yelped as she glowered at the dragon, he glared back.

"You just released info to someone you DON'T know!" he snarled.

"He's fine, I'm an excellent judge of character." Chenry claimed.

"Yeah, _you_ would be one…" Spryo growled sarcastically, Chenry ignored him. Robin was still frozen in place but his mouth decided to unfreeze.

"This is Traverse Town, and…" he dropped his shooting stance as he peered up at the newcomers. "-you don't appear to be here to cause harm, tell me, do you have ANY association with creatures called Heartless? Or perhaps you've heard of Organization XIII?" An arrow was still clasped firmly in one paw and his bow ready to flex back into a stance.

"No, no, we're not one of the side of darkness!" Chenry hurriedly exclaimed, Spyro snorted.

"Who the hell is Organization XIII?" Spyro asked, Robin Hood seemed to sigh with relief.

"Phew, well, you three scared me there a bit. Sorry, just had to make sure." Robin admitted, he then held a paw towards him. "My name is Robin Hood."

"Nice to meet'cha," Chenry stated as Robin began to lead them towards the large oak doors leading into Traverse Town.

"Just traveling around?" Robin asked (he's still suspicious, he's not letting his guard down and in the meanwhile attempting to glean information).

"Yeah, pretty much." Chenry replied as Robin put a paw on the door's handle, he turned to them.

"Before I allow you passage," he said, his eyes narrowing. The three looked at him cautiously. "I wish for proof to _prove_ those past few words."

"_Yeah, pretty much_?" Chenry repeated, Mewtwo closed his eyes and Spyro growled.

"Shut up you lunkhead!" Spyro growled.

"What?"

"**Show him your keyblade,"** Mewtwo suggested helpfully, Chenry hesitated but nodded when her eyes landed on Robin's determined ones.

_He's ready to strike us down,_ she thought grimly as she held out her hand and it shined brilliantly. Then with a mystical 'pop', the keyblade appeared in said hand. Robin watched with awe.

"You're a keyblade wielder?" Robin asked.

"Apparently," Spyro growled as he eyed the Secretive Loner with disgust.

"Leon and Aerith did say there were more keyblade wielders…" Robin thought out loud.

"What was that?" Chenry asked curiously as the Secretive Loner vanished.

Robin shook his head.

"Nothing, I was just expecting someone like you a little later on." Robin admitted as he pulled at the doors, they dragged open (after Chenry joined in to help).

"Thanks," he huffed as he then made his way through the crack they made. When Chenry squeezed through (Mewtwo teleported to the other side), they ended up having to push it further to allow Spyro through.

"No one will freak seeing him will they?" Chenry asked as the purple dragon clawed his way on the brick ground.

"Nah, Traverse Town's used to strange visitors." Robin answered, Chenry pondered whether that was a good thing or not.

Mewtwo was apparently thinking along the same lines.

"**The town has been frequently attacked by these creatures you have mentioned."** Mewtwo stated, Robin looked at the pokemon in surprise and Chenry resisted rolling her eyes. One would think Mewtwo would use more _tact_ on a stranger.

"Yes, but how did you know-"

"Whoa, this place is pretty amazing. Can you show us around?" Chenry quickly jumped in, Robin turned his attention to her.

"I-I suppose, and seeing as you all must be fighters…I guess it can't hurt showing you the Second and Third District…" Robin trailed off in thought. Chenry looked at Mewtwo in question.

_**Heartless only appear in those areas.**_ Mewtwo said through Chenry and Spyro's mind link.

"This must be the First District then, what's that? Looks like a store," Chenry pointed up at the first one a little beyond the set of curved stairs before them.

"That's the Accessory Shop, to the left of that is the Item Shop." Robin pointed out.

"Nifty, maybe we should take a look around eh Mewtwo? Spyro?" Chenry looked over at her two traveling companions. Spyro glowered at her.

"This isn't _my_ world I'd appreciate it if I got back to it as quickly as I can." Spyro snarled.

"**Your world has been engulfed in darkness like mine has, otherwise your heart would not have arrived in Twilight Town."** Mewtwo explained grimly, his face darkening.

"You mean…I can't go back?" Spyro stared at Mewtwo then at Chenry, his eyes as round as saucers. Chenry looked to Mewtwo.

"Will the worlds stay…_engulfed_?" Chenry asked, Mewtwo closed his eyes in uncertainty.

"No," Robin spoke up. "They warned me there were other keyblade wielders, as well as more enemies. These enemies include Heartless, that continue to threaten the worlds into everlasting darkness…but there is a way to return them to the way they were."

"Do tell," Chenry pressed on, Spyro and Mewtwo listened closely as well.

"Before, Sora (another keyblade wielder) had sealed the Door to Light along with King Mickey (also a keyblade wielder). That was _supposed_ to lock away the Heartless, but then, the one that controlled them before returned and Organization XIII emerged into the spotlight." Robin told them.

"**Malificent."** Mewtwo growled out the foreign word.

"The one who controlled the Heartless from before right?" Chenry asked, Robin nodded.

"Yes, now, however, there is no door to the light to lock away. Unfortunately – as much as I would like to share it – I do not know how to get rid of the Heartless, except to fight them with weapons, which has proved futile countless times…" Robin gripped his bow tightly.

"Your world was swallowed?" Chenry questioned, Robin nodded sorrowfully but gave her a firm glance.

"I was told to stay behind when the others went off to a place called Hallow Bastion, to wait for anyone passing through who might have questions or in case there was trouble." Robin stated, "If I wanted to, I could leave, but I have no way of doing that. I have no way of leaving to search for information to return my world to the light, to save my friends…"

"You can come along with us!" Chenry exclaimed, Spyro huffed.

"I KNEW she was going to propose that!" Spyro snarled, but Robin didn't seem to hear this.

"You wouldn't mind?" Robin asked, his ears erect and his tail was beginning to wag.

"Sure, why not, can you handle it Mewtwo?" Chenry turned around to asked the pokemon.

"**One more passenger will not hurt. Only ONE more however,"** Mewtwo claimed, Chenry nodded.

"Great! Welcome to the team Robin! Mind if I call you Rob from time to time?" Chenry asked not unkindly.

"_I know what you're thinking Rob, and don't a go and blame yourself. She'll be fine."_

Robin's mind growled as he recalled Maid Marian locked away with Prince John and Lady Kluck. He knew well Lady Kluck could very well hold her own along with Maid Marian, but just how long could she hold? Not long without a proper weapon…this was the opportunity he had been waiting for! He was going to take the chance.

"I don't," Robin answered and Chenry grinned.

"Before we venture out, let's do some shopping. I also need to say some farewells and check in on a few things," Robin claimed, Chenry nodded.

"No prob, we'll help out. What do we need?" Chenry asked.

Twenty minutes later sent them to the Item Shop where a strange old lady stood behind the till, her back hunched and black hood covering her face. Robin claimed it was originally ran by three ducklings, but they too ran off to Hallow Bastion. Then there was the Accessory Shop, where a kindly young man helped them pick out well, accessories. Then they came to a rather small cottage squeezed between two buildings.

"This is Geppetto's Toy Store, he helps us by making gummis – what?" Robin yelped when Chenry's eyes went wide.

"Can he make us a gummi! We're talking about spaceships (not candy) right?" Chenry about exploded, Mewtwo and Spyro stared at her. Robin nodded.

"Um…yes, how else did you get here? Teleportation?" Robin joked; the threesome exchanged shocked expressions.

_You didn't see that coming?_ Chenry thought smartly, Spyro smirked as he too heard her thought. Mewtwo rolled his eyes upward.

_**Not thoroughly I admit, I was much too curious looking through the rest of the world's inhabitants' minds.**_ Mewtwo replied, Spyro and Chenry huffed.

"Well, if you need a new gummi, he gives first-time customers a freebie. Sora was the only exception, even Leon and Cid had to buy their own blueprints!" Robin laughed from apparently an inside joke as he made his way inside, tailed by the rest.

"Geppetto? I've brought guests," Robin chimed as Chenry and Mewtwo followed (Spyro realized he couldn't fit and remained at the open door with his head stretched in.

A woodcarver was sitting in the back; he craned his neck around to spot the group. He readjusted his glasses as he grinned warmly.

"Welcome! Well, how've you been Robin? Who are your friends?" The old man was friendly and Chenry already liked him. She looked around the one-room cottage, spotting a trapdoor in the ceiling that was sure to have a ladder folded above it. She figured that was their living quarters.

Chenry's eyes settled on a moving puppet – it surprised her when she realized it was a marionette moving _without_ strings! He seemed busy digging through a chest in the corner at the moment…

Geppetto, however, hurried around a large table with blue sheets spread out all over it. He stopped before Robin.

"I'm Geppetto, I'm a toy maker. Behind me's my son, Pinocchio, if he weren't so persistent to find whatever he's been looking for, he would be saying hello too." The old man greeted happily.

"My name's Chenry,"

"**Mewtwo."**

"Spyro, your place is awfully small. Never thought a dragon would be interested in toys?" Spyro asked sarcastically as he eyed numerous clocks nailed to the walls around him. He narrowed his gaze upon a round fish bowl on a small stand, the goldfish in it staring at him; bewildered.

"Oh wow! You're enormous! But not as large as Monstro!" Geppetto shivered from the image of the large whale. Of course, Spyro and Chenry turned to Mewtwo for an answer.

_**A monster of a whale that swallowed him and his boat a while back.**_ Mewtwo explained tiredly. Chenry turned back to Geppetto.

"Rob's told us you make gummi ships, we're in need of one and were wondering if you could make us one?" Chenry asked kindly, "Cost wouldn't be a problem."

"How'd you figure?" Spyro growled, she turned her gaze on him with a wicked smirk.

"Dragon scales are worth a _fortune_, we'll just _pluck _one off you for payment." Chenry answered, Spyro bore his teeth.

"How about I _pluck_ your he-"

"How about it Mister Geppetto?" Chenry asked sweetly, Geppetto never seeing her evil look. Geppetto clapped with jubilance.

"Oh dear child! You're new and I'm sure it's hard to travel without a gummi these days, I'll give you one for free. I've had a few made and renovated by Cid before he took off, you can use our largest, seeing as you need quite a cockpit…" Geppetto stated with amusement.

"It's natural to be this big at my age," Spyro muttered under his breath. "I used to be _a lot_ smaller…"

"Would you really? Thank you so much!" Mewtwo, Spyro and Robin looked at her.

_Suck up._

With directions to the Traverse Town Garage, they bid their farewells and left the tiny cottage.

"The garage is in the Third District, it'll be tricky getting their undetected." Said Robin.

"Say, why didn't you get yourself a gummi and fly on outta here?" Chenry asked, Robin smiled sheepishly.

"I don't know how to drive or navigate one," Robin admitted.

As soon as they stepped into the Second District, Chenry was peering around nervously.

"I've only seen a Heartless once…" she claimed, Spyro raised a brow as he too noticed no dark creatures.

"When?"

"Oh, um…" _When DID I see a Heartless? _Chenry stood upright and looked up in thought at the same time Robin cried out –

"WATCH OUT!" Instinctively, Chenry summoned the Secretive Loner and slashed at the black creature she saw through her side vision. Three more bolted towards her.

"Holy crap!" Chenry cried as Robin shot them with one, solid black arrow.

"Where in the worlds did they come from?" Chenry asked.

"The darkness in people's hearts." Robin answered seriously.

"Oh…knew that."

"**There is more."**

"You're kidding! Whoa!" Chenry shouted as six more appeared out of thin air. Six more visible behind them.

"What are they! BUNNIES!" Chenry exclaimed as Robin started taking them out, only more were produced.

"_Bunnies?_" Spyro questioned.

"What?" Chenry huffed, "They're _reproducing_ like them!"

"**Let us help then,"** Mewtwo suggested as he raised a paw and snapped it open. Instantly blue light glowed around most, they appeared to be having a savage stomachache as they clutched at their midsection. Then within seconds, they burst.

"Wow…"

"Are you gonna help?" Spyro snarled as he leaped into action, bellowing a fiery breath.

"Double wow…" Chenry whistled as her eyes lit from the waves of flames. Spyro rolled his eyes.

What seemed like an hour later, Robin had led them through a Gizmo Shop and out the other door.

"Up there is the bell," Robin explained, not realizing the little space (provided mostly by Spyro's large hide) pushed Chenry over the edge.

She landed on her back.

_That'll feel lovely in the morning…_ she thought grimly as she sat up and rubbed what she could reach. Peering up, she saw a tall door with handsome blue-stained glass embedded into it.

_Pretty…wonder if I can…hm…_ Chenry wobbled to her feet and stepped forward, she pushed the door open and walked inside.


	23. Puppy Love

**..::Part XXII::..**

**..::Puppy Love::..**

"Where did Chenry go?" Robin asked with concern, they were now at the top of the bell tower and had just then noticed their party was short by one. Mewtwo telepathically scanned the district.

"**She's below us in a house full of puppies.**" Mewtwo answered, Robin Hood's eyes widened. Spyro looked at Mewtwo with large, hopeful violet eyes.

"Please tell me they ate her?"

Meanwhile, below…

"OMG THEY ARE SO ADORABLE!" Chenry was eccentric; the Dalmatian puppies (including Pongo and Perdita) stared silently at her at first. Unsure of what to do from the harmless outburst. Chenry was in shock as well; there were so MANY puppies! They were on the furniture sleeping, playing, barking, staring and so many other things.

At first, some of the puppies stood still, the ones who realized they had a visitor that is. Yet one puppy came forward, quite curious. They all had collars around their necks, when he came close enough, Chenry sat down to get a closer view.

Pongo and Perdita kept a close eye on her, ready to pounce if need be.

Chenry petted the puppy on his small skull; her tail wagged which eased her parents posture.

Given a few more minutes, the parents warmed up to Chenry and became comfortable with the albino.

Chenry wrapped her fingers gently around the girl puppy's stomach and lifted her into her lap. There she got a hold of the license (the print was too small even a foot away) and read:

Penny 

"Oh, that's so cute," Chenry couldn't help it, she was horribly overwhelmed! Penny crawled up and pressed her forepaws against her chest before she started flecking Chenry's chin with friendly licks.

A few more puppies approached Chenry with interest, some coming as close as walking up on her lap. Chenry was surprised to see even more walk in from another door out of the room.

In mere moments, Chenry was on her back being clobbered by tens of Dalmatian puppies all wanting a taste of her face.

"Well, this is a welcoming sight." Someone spoke Pongo and Perdita peered through the azure windows of the door before barking murderously. The puppies flew from Chenry to under couches, into the other room and so forth for there behind the door, was Spyro's large mug staring in through the semi-transparent door.

"_Spyro!_" Chenry hissed venomously, she turned to the parents. "He's a friend of mine, he won't hurt your puppies." Pongo and Perdita ceased their barking for a moment as she went to the door.

"Can I come back for a visit?" Chenry asked, Pongo and Perdita looked at each other then back at her. Pongo gave a bark with what looked like a smile.

"Thanks! Be back soon!" Chenry cried out so the puppies could hear her too before opening the door and stepping out.

"Why did you do that? They were so _cute_!" Chenry hissed as Spyro backed away.

"What?" he asked indifferently. Chenry resisted rolling her eyes as she looked to Robin.

"What next?" she asked, Robin shrugged.

"If you would like, there's the Third District…" Robin offered but Chenry suddenly didn't feel like wandering anymore. "We do need to go there to get to the garage, so we're going to have to get there eventually."

"What's up with so many dogs in that house?" Chenry had to ask Robin peered up at her sadly.

"Their world was swallowed a long time ago, when Sora revived worlds from locking the Door of Light, their world was one of the few that did _not_ come back." Robin explained.

"So you're saying even if we find a way to lock away the Heartless or something that – locking that door _revived_ worlds?" Chenry bounced on the balls of her feet. "You hadn't mentioned that before, all the more reason to find out just how to lock away more darkness! Let's hurry! Robin lead the way!"

Robin led them through an alley that led up to a grand door. He claimed it was the border between the Second and Third District. When they managed their way through, they were greeted by a glum platform with descending stairs from their level. Chenry glanced a lit home to their left, but it seemed vacant.

"That's my den, everyone left it to me before they left for Hallow Bastion." Robin explained, Chenry nodded as they walked towards the stairs. Walking down them was no challenge and by the time they rounded about the walls that stood alongside the stairs, Chenry gazed with awe at the beauty of a glowing mural behind a fountain.

"This place is gorgeous…" she whispered.

"More so with less Heartless about," Robin agreed. Chenry eyed the mural closely; it was alive with neon lighting with two dogs around an Italian dinner setting. It was rather romantic…

"There's the door to the garage, are you coming?" Robin asked the three, only Chenry was distracted but Mewtwo and Spyro were awaiting her.

"Yep!" They followed Robin through a hidden door in the wall.

Inside the wall, there were more cases of stairs that spiraled hazardously steeply downward. Robin was going down them fairly easily with hunting grace with Mewtwo close behind him, just hovering above the stairs. Chenry was wobbling horribly, trying to keep her balance on the thin stepping areas. Spyro had the worst time, attempting to be slide his body through the right curve and stepping on five stairs at a time.

"Almost there, ah…" Robin opening another door (thankfully outward) and stepped through. Mewtwo and Chenry hurried after him, then Spyro squeezed through. Just barely getting through due to his wide hindquarters.

They were on another platform; this was brighter than the one above. Around them were gears and contraptions and several different colored gummies in various shapes and sizes.

"It was fashioned after the Disney Castle's, Chip and Dale work through this place from there. Hey boys!" Robin cried, immediately a small screen came down from a metallic limb and turned on. Two chipmunks working swiftly appeared on the screen.

"Chip! Dale!" The two stopped working with a start, then swarmed to the screen.

"Hey! It's Robin! Hello Robin!" They greeted, Chenry's heart melted – two adorable animals in a row!

"We need a large gummi,"

"Right, Geppetto warned us that you were coming!" Then one with a large nose jumped onto a lever in the background. The gears huffed and squealed around them, probably working the platform that was approaching them with a massive gummi ship on it.

Geppetto gave them his biggest cockpit, which proved it would still be a tight squeeze.

"It has more room than it looks!" The chipmunk with a smaller nose claimed. The gummi stood well above three stories was painted mostly blue with yellow and white sidings. There were five different lasers built in at five different angles and one large engine.

"It's great! Thank you!" The chipmunks gave a loud 'welcome'.

"All aboard!"

The four managed inside, Spyro first and they were all grateful to discover the Chip 'n Dale's words were right. He had a deeper corner to fit him into, but could lift his head enough to peer out of the half-sphere. Robin sat on one of the three chairs offered Mewtwo took the center and Chenry on his other side.

"You know how to drive Mewtwo?" Mewtwo sighed.

"**I received the information I needed."** Chenry mentally smacked herself, right, Mewtwo read the instructions off of Chip 'n Dale's minds.

"You know whatcha doin'? All right, buckle in and we'll rev you outta here!"

"I like their style!" Chenry cried as they buckled their seat belts in. Only Spyro remained unprotected by the strap.

All the while Chip 'n Dale took control of the platform again and the vehicle shook as it mounted a launching block. When Chenry looked up, she saw a large, gaping black hole surrounded by blinking red lights – signaling take-off.

"At the count of three!" Cried the chipmunks.

"Three!"

"Two!"

"One – BLAST OFF!"

The gummi – named Galaxy Rover – shook violently as it began to lift, then time seemed to stop.

Chenry peered at the other two; both had their heads kept locked forward. Chenry quickly did the same and right on time as the ship bolted from its place and through he tunnel. The speed accelerated with each second and before they knew it, they were spat out of the world of Traverse Town and into space.

The space was a sparkly, milky blue Chenry observed as Mewtwo's psychic powers took the steering device in their hands. He wheeled it around to face nothing. Spyro began to glow again. The golden-yellow line appeared again and zipped out from beneath them and onward.

"Does the radar say anything about where it's leading to?" Chenry asked, Mewtwo shook his head.

"**Everything will always be a mystery."** Mewtwo stated calmly, Chenry nodded as Mewtwo's telekinesis pressed the gas. The engine roared and the flames burst from behind them. The gummi began to move and soon they were at top speed – following the line.

"This must be so much simpler for you," Chenry claimed, referring to Mewtwo's original way of transporting.

"**You have no idea."**

Two more steering devices slid out of the dashboards in front of Robin and Chenry. Unlike Mewtwo's, these had buttons at the top of each handle.

Chenry knew they were for the lasers, but where were the other three – she looked around at Spyro.

"Bring it on Heartless scum…" he growled wickedly under his breath, he had the other two Chenry figured; sweat-dropping. Spyro controlled the last three lasers with one on each forepaw and the last with his tail.

_If I were a heartless, I would be scared right about now!_

"**Company."** Said Mewtwo, pointing out approaching enemy craft.

"All right, let's see…how to shoot this thing-" Chenry pressed one of the buttons then a long, white ray struck one of the gummis.

"Wow…" She said as the gummi exploded.

"Nice shot Chenry!" Robin congratulated.

"Thanks!"

"Don't be so cocky yet!" Spryo scolded, "You take us where we're going Mewtwo! We have it covered!"

Mewtwo never doubted it as the three blasted any adversaries on their path. They had soon ventured upon a small world.

With no more Heartless ships around, all four stared down at it.

It wasn't as small as Traverse Town with large trees overshadowing the undergrowth beneath. There was a small campfire protruding from a small space near the bottom. The rest was just forest.

"Let's drop in, you never know…" Chenry said, Robin nodded.

"We should help other worlds in need, ours are not the only ones threatened." Robin claimed, Chenry nodded.

"Let's park this doo-dad and see what's up." Chenry said, Mewtwo pushed the steering handles forward.

"**All right, hold on."** Galaxy Rover carefully neared the world, trying not to harm any trees as it came closer.


	24. Man in Black

**..:Part XXIII:..**

**..:Man in Black:..**

"Mother! I saw something!" the Young Prince cried as he hurried to his mother's side. The doe had been still since before her fawn's small outburst.

"Yes Bambi, I know I did too." The doe's ears swiveled and her pupils were wide. Her body was still, wary and stiff as if ready to bolt. Bambi, her son on the other hand, had fallen to the ground as earlier instructed by his mother to do earlier if she had ever gone stiff. He curled up to the point only his spots were seen in the nearby flower patch.

The doe eyed the disturbed foliage that shivered from the impact below. Sparrows and crows flew; startled by the unknown object and small creatures like the squirrel and chipmunk scattered away from their tree homes.

The doe carefully took a step, yet nothing emerged from the relaxing trees. She motioned for Bambi to stand then had him follow her swiftly away from the scene. The crows were already crying out, the Prince of the Forest was sure to hear them.

**DENSE FOREST**

"Well, that was a soft landing." Chenry spoke as she walked on the ramp the Galaxy Rover provided down to the ground from her vessel. She was unaware she stood on four legs as well as the transformation her fellow comrades also went through.

At least until she was the first to stomp on the soil.

She no longer had hands she realized.

"Ack! I'm an _animal_!" Chenry cried as she ran to a small spring that happened to be nestled before some reeds a little ways off from the gummi. She peered into her reflection and leaped back.

"Is it me or am I a deer? Oh dear…" she asked as she cautiously nosed her way back to the water's surface.

Sure enough, her red eyes were still the same, but atop her head was a white patch that ended at her eyebrows. Her ears were tipped white and along her back were youth spots of a fawn, her tail looked like a snowball. The rest of her form was a mousy brown.

She frowned, but when she looked back to scan her friends she about burst out laughing.

Spyro was not pleased.

"_Shuddup!_" he snarled, he was a tiny, violet…rabbit.

Chenry fell over laughing.

As Spyro the Bunny hopped towards a loony Chenry, Robin and Mewtwo made their way out of the vessel. Unlike the small herbivores, Robin remained his main animal, but instead was stripped of his clothing and he too pranced on four legs. Mewtwo was a lavender puma with dark purple markings along his toes and tail. A strip similar to a dun pelt ran along his spine and ended between his ears. His eyes still gleamed of intelligent lilac.

"I don't think we'll be making many friends around here like this," Robin claimed as he looked from their new forms to Chenry and Spyro's. Mewtwo resisted huffing.

"**Of course, naturally those two are our prey.**" Robin barked for the two to come over, currently Chenry and Spyro were wrestling, but from their view it looked as if Spyro was attempting to tickle the daylights out of Chenry.

"Wait until I get my claws back you-" Spyro was clinging to her belly as Chenry rolled on her back, her body still quaking from the amusement and her eyes were filled with bright tears.

"I couldn't _help_ it!"

Robin barked again, they heard and complied.

"What's up?" Chenry asked.

"The sky," Robin replied, looking sort of confused. Chenry shook her head.

"**Perhaps it would be better if you two wandered about without us by your side."** Mewtwo explained, his mouth still remained immobile even as a mountain lion. Chenry and Spyro appeared baffled.

"Why?"

"Here, we're considered your predators. We won't be able to makes friends as easily as you do let alone get answers. We'll be close by, doing out own investigations." Robin explained as if he could read Mewtwo's mind. Chenry and Spyro blinked.

"Are you sure? What happened if some _other_ fox or…big cat shows up?" Chenry asked.

"Attack them, you can still wield your keyblade." Robin demonstrated by summoning his bow and arrows, but instead of standing on his back two paws – the bow sat on his back where an arrow stuck itself and with his tail, he drew the string back.

He released the arrow and it sprang into a nearby tree.

"I can manage, why can't you?" Robin stated, but Chenry wasn't listening, she was being entertained by Spyro's attempt to breathe fire as a rabbit. So far, he seemed to coughing up a furball.

"It's no use…my rabbit throat can't exhale flames," Spyro claimed grimly.

"Your form was probably most difficult to change, it's probably still adjusting. You'll be able to breathe fire soon I'm sure," Robin claimed, Spyro didn't look convinced.

"What am I supposed to do? Use my mouth?" The hilt of the blade suddenly was lodged into her open jaws, she found it fit comfortably.

"There you go,"

"Hmph!"

A few minutes afterwards Chenry and Spyro found themselves traveling off by themselves, leaving the fox and puma behind. The plan was simple, make friends with the world's dwellers and the other two would search the forest for anything peculiar.

"_Any world is worth searching_," Spyro huffed at remembering Chenry's chosen words for it. Spyro didn't understand what she was searching for, the three of them hardly knew anything about her – except Mewtwo, and he probably knew her whole life story. Yet that was beside the point, Spyro was beginning more than before that Chenry was rather selfish. Why should they search an unknown forest when he, Robin and Mewtwo desperately wanted to return to their own. Personally, Spyro believed he would recognize his own world on the spot. They shouldn't be making pit stops for Chenry's lone reason – "Just wanna take a look around". If he had to suffer any more unwanted transformations he'll have to barbecue her!

"So, mighty _Rabbit Dragon_ Spyro, have any ideas?" Chenry questioned, Spyro snarled. She would never let that die!

"Small animals gather near water," Spyro replied sharply as if she was stupid. Her eyes brightened.

"Yes, we should gather too!" Spyro's bunny ears twitched, he forgot he was one of those small animals he used to chow down on back on his home world.

It didn't take long to listen for running water of a stream and even less time to discover the animals Spyro mentioned before.

A doe was grazing a little ways from the shallow creek where mother ducks kept a tight vigil on their offspring. Chenry spotted a fawn not far off glancing into the water with his forehooves sunk into the wet riverbank.

Spyro approached a pair of the mother ducks, twitching his nose. His ears leaned forward as he picked up some interesting words.

"-oh did you hear that crash? Terrifying isn't it? Man has always been horrible, but this is unexpected." One mother duck cried, the other replied:

"Nonsense! I heard no crash! Have you been eating those poppy flowers again dear?"

"No!" The mother duck from before ruffled her feathers. "Don't you remember those Man in black before? Maybe that's them again!"

"Man in black?" Spyro jumped in, the two mother ducks flapped their wings in surprise.

"Who are you!" One of them cried, her feathers were a darker brown than the others. Her temperament was slightly more agitated than the other's was.

"Call me Spyro,"

"You're a strangely colored rabbit Spyro," the calmer, friendlier mother duck stated. Spyro's fur bristled having been reminded of his new body.

"Uh…born under strange circumstances does that to you," Spyro replied, the mother ducks raised their 'eyebrows'.

"Well, erm…Spyro, are you new to this forest? We have all been here since we were born – except around when the snow falls – we all know each other well. Yet we've never met you before,"

"Don't mind her, we've been rather paranoid lately. I'm Fuana." The lighter-colored mother duck said, "This is my sister, Oakwing." The darker mother duck stuck out her breast in an act of intimidation.

"You're not a duckling-harmer are you?" The one named Oakwing asked suspiciously. Spyro blinked.

"No, but anyways, we're traveling through." Spyro replied.

"_We?_"

"Yes, me and Chenry-_Chenry_?" He turned around to find Chenry gone.

Unknown to him, Chenry has skulked into the tall reeds and was quietly approaching the fawn playing in the water, his eyes were narrowed in on something and he appeared in deep conversation.

When she was near enough, Chenry poked her head out of the reeds and peered into the water beside him. She found what he was looking at – a large bullfrog sat in the clay-like mud beneath the water's surface. Its large eyes focused on the fawn's large orbs. Apparently they were having a staring contest.

Chenry found this funny so she giggled.

The bullfrog blinked, but when the fawn started the bullfrog darted into a deeper end of the creek. The fawn looked at the reflection of Chenry's then back at where originally the bullfrog had been lounging.

"Hello!" Chenry greeted then the fawn leaped away, spraying water everywhere including her. Yet she ran through the shower and cantered after him. Chasing after the male fawn, they sent water over the ducklings, their mothers and Spyro who spat and cursed after Chenry. The doe's head shot up, but her shoulders relaxed when her eyes fell on the rambunctious pair.

"I think I'm making friends Spyro!" Chenry cried as she passed him again. Spyro ducked his head as another wave of water drops crusaded over him and the ducks.

"I'm _incredibly_ happy for you! Now _stop_!" Spyro shouted, the fawn ran into the reeds and tumbled inside them, Chenry came to a halt right outside the grassy trap the fawn had fallen into.

"Hey! C'mon out!" Chenry cried, she leaped in after him. Just as fast the fawn jumped out of them with Chenry hot on his tail. He ran for the doe Chenry figured was his mother.

"Hello young fawn, what is your name?" the doe greeted warmly as her son hid behind her. Chenry smiled.

"I'm Chenry," the white-tipped fawn replied, the doe's eyes clouded with wonder.

"Chenry is it? Well, I'm Bambi's mother. This is Bambi," the doe said, walking a couple of strides to reveal her fawn. Bambi blinked then realized his mother had moved. He quickly regained his hiding spot.

"C'mon Bambi, you're not afraid are you? Chenry only wants to play remember? Like Faline?" Bambi's ears perked at the remembrance of the name and slowly came away from his mother's protection. He eyed Chenry, then smiled.

"Hello, would you like to meet my friends?" Bambi asked, Chenry nodded.

"Love to!"

Meanwhile, with Spyro he was learning something that would probably pique all their interests.

"-Man in black showed up out of nowhere, they weren't making the usual sounds that Man made when they come into our forest. They didn't even have dogs, but they were no different, they were…eerie…" Oakwing spoke, shudders ran down her body.

"And our Prince…the Prince of the Forest vanished soon after they came, it's been a whole season without his watchful eyes…we think the Man in black took him…"


	25. The Red Stag

**..:Part XXIV:..**

**..:The Red Stag:..**

"Chenry!" Spyro was having trouble keeping up with the oddly colored fawn; little ways beyond her was Bambi.

"C'mon Spyro!" He huffed; he had no choice if he wanted to speak with her civilly he would have to wait till all the excitement she had built up settled. He hopped after her with as much speed his bunny legs could muster – the long-legged fawns were not making this short trek easy for him!

Bambi led them through the undergrowth and into a clearing filling with clovers and surrounded by tall oriental grass. His ears stiffly rotated on his head as if listening for predators. Chenry attempted to do the same thing, but she couldn't see why he was even doing it.

Then she heard something, but Spyro felt it first.

"Bambi!" A small gray rabbit leaped from a hidden burrow among the clovers, but along with him flanked several tawny sisters.

"Bambi! Bambi! How are you?" they cried, Bambi grinned as the gray one approached him.

"Sorry Bambi, I tried to escape but I failed!" the gray rabbit cried with exasperation, he went still when he spotted Spyro and Chenry.

"Hm, who are you?"

"This is Chenry and erm…" Bambi looked to Spyro for help, the rabbit-dragon rolled his eyes.

"Spyro,"

"And Spyro!" Bambi concluded, the gray rabbit puffed out his chest towards them.

"I'm Thumper!" the gray one cried out as a larger rabbit appeared from the burrow, her nose twitching in curiosity.

"Hello Bambi, how are you and your mother?" she asked politely, Chenry and Spyro assumed she was the rabbits' mother.

"Great thanks,"

"I hope you're not planning on going to the meadow to play Bambi, Thumper and his sisters are restricted from going out very far from the burrow." Thumper's mother said kindly but sternly, Thumper and his sisters sighed.

"But Mother-"

"Now Thumper, what did your father tell you?"

"'Bout what?"

"About the Man in Black from before?"

"Oh…_that,_" Thumper poised himself in a lecturing stance, his forepaws behind his back and his spine straight. He cleared his throat, "_The Man in Black are dangerous and we should not put ourselves in danger for the sake of fun, we have to stay near the burrow with our mother._"

As Thumper finished he flashed his mom a wide grin, Chenry giggled. Thumper's mother, however, crossed her arms apparently not pleased.

"Can we go and play now? Just for a bit?" Thumper begged, his mother narrowed her eyes.

"IF you promise to be back before dinner and you DON'T go past the big creek do you understand?" Thumper's ears twitched impatiently.

"Yes Mother,"

"Good, hold him to his promise," she demanded of Bambi, Chenry and Spyro before herding her other children back into the burrow despite their whines of protest.

Chenry cocked her head as Master Eleven raced into her mind.

"She's such a worry-wart," Thumper commented, Chenry shook her head.

"She only cares Thumper," the albino fawn reminded, Thumper shrugged.

"Sometimes she _cares_ too much," Thumper replied with a jerky nod. Chenry appeared taken back, Spyro wondered why.

"Let's go to Mountain Rock," Bambi proposed as he pranced towards Thumper, the gray rabbit shook his head.

"But that's past the Big Creek, I can't go there now," Thumper said with disappointment.

"What's Mountain Rock?" Spyro asked, Bambi's large eyes landed on him.

"It's a big rock beyond the Meadow, we go there when we want to play mountain lions and bears." Bambi answered sheepishly, Spyro and Chenry exchanged looks.

"That's…creative," said Chenry, Spyro nodded.

"Is there a pond near it?" Spyro asked, Bambi nodded. Chenry and Spyro peered at each other; perhaps that was where they parked their gummi. Thank goodness no one wanted to go there! They would have a lot of explaining to do and if they didn't explain it if the topic came up, it would be rumored to connect with the strange visitors. It certainly wouldn't help anything if anyone saw Robin or Mewtwo…

"Anyways…maybe…we could go back to the creek," Bambi suggested, no one objected so they started to head back with Thumper.

Silence took over for a bit, since they were walking it was taking longer to retrace their steps whereas before they were practically sprinting. Either way Spyro was grateful, pushing his small limits again did not bode well with him.

"Do you know if anyone's there?" Thumper questioned as water trickling reached their sensitive ears. Bambi appeared confused.

"There should be," Chenry and Spyro understood him, it didn't _sound_ like the mother ducks, their ducklings or the doe were anywhere close-by.

They stepped onto the riverbank; Spyro and Thumper jumped through the weeds.

"Hm, guess you were wrong," Thumper chimed, they all scanned the creek and its bank. It was quiet, but that was due to the absence of the forest's residents.

"Where did Mother go?" Bambi spoke up, his voice small as if he were afraid someone he didn't like was just behind them. Chenry and Spyro were on the alert, something didn't feel right…

"Well, we have the whole place to ourselves right? Let's play!" Thumper cried as he hopped further down alongside the creek, something snapped in Chenry and Spyro causing them both to cry out to the rabbit.

"STOP! Come back!" Too late, already black creatures were swarming at an incredibly fast rate around the gray bunny. Bambi was in a state of shock, but recognized the beings instantly.

"Thumper! Run!" Bambi yelled, but his words fell on deaf, long ears. Thumper, like any rabbit facing danger, had gone stiff in hopes of the peril mistaking him for a rock. Yet the Heartless were smart, they dove for the small mammal.

Chenry and Spyro leaped into the frenzy while the albino summoned the Secretive Loner to her mouth. Spyro drew out claws too long for a regular rabbit. Chenry believed the dragon in him was starting to show up at last.

Surprisingly, Chenry found wielding the blade in her mouth to be shockingly easy. She maneuvered with agility she hadn't possessed as a human and dodged the black talons of the Heartless with supreme ease. Spyro straddled the large bodies of Shadows then ripped them apart, all the while wishing he had fire in his throat to roast them instead.

"ACK! _Daaaaa_-ng it! Dang it!" Chenry cried as one rogue claw slashed her shoulder; it was a shallow scrape yet blood issued forth from it then dribbled down her leg. Bambi pranced into the battle with a smile on his face.

"This'll help!" he claimed as he danced around Spyro and Chenry while green orbs fell from his fetlocks. When Chenry limped towards one, her body absorbed it and her wound began to rapidly heal. She gained a few more and her wound altogether vanished.

"Thanks!" Chenry cried, she made a mental note to ask him about this later.

"HELP!" It was Thumper, a Shadow had him clasped in his claws and for a heart-wrenching moment, Chenry realized it was attempting to steal his heart.

"Get away!" Chenry wasn't shouting for anything particular, either Thumper _got away_ from the Heartless or the Heartless _released Thumper then went away_ would have been nice. Neither happened so she had to enforce it. She charged after the pair with amazing speed. Spyro followed her closely with Bambi right behind him.

The Shadow backed away in small leaps, but Chenry, Bambi and Spyro pursued. Chenry's eyes widened in horror as the Heartless made it clear he was stealing Thumper's heart. Thumper was shaking badly with his eyes closed.

"Hurry! It's trying to get his heart!" At that, Bambi bolted past Chenry and successfully terrified the Heartless into dropping Thumper. With that distraction, Chenry lodged the keyblade through it. It disappeared in a puff of smoke. All the Heartless had been destroyed, leaving the creek to them again.

Thumper's shaking calmed and now he slept, Bambi released a sigh of relief.

"So…you know about the Heartless?" Chenry brought up, Bambi nodded solemnly.

"Yeah and you're a keyblade wielder! I knew one once! His name was Sora!" Bambi cried out with excitement, Chenry's eyes widened.

"Sora…? Sounds familiar,"

"He was a Dragon Knight-I mean Keyblade Wielder? So there are more out there…" Spyro trailed off, Bambi began to get edgy.

"I thought it was all over when I returned here, the Heartless, they devoured my world at one point and Sora helped me out…" Bambi shuddered as he recalled the faint memory of being driven from his world. Chenry eyed him sympathetically.

"Are you searching for friends too? Sora's quest was mostly of sealing keyholes and looking for his two best friends," Bambi wondered aloud, Spyro looked at Chenry seeing as he too had been pondering that as well. Chenry shook her head.

"I'll seal keyholes if I must, but no, no friends are missing so I'm not searching for them."

"What are you searching for then?"

"An answer," _What IS the Secret?_ Chenry went quiet; Spyro and Bambi exchanged looks.

"Well, since you're here…um…could you, y'know erm…help us out?" Bambi asked nervously, Chenry watched him closely.

"To find your Prince of the Forest right?" Spyro questioned, Bambi nodded.

"Yeah, he's been gone for a while and none of us feel safe…everyone's terrified especially because of those Man in Black."

"They're Organization XIII, they're Nobodies," they spent the next twenty minutes explaining to Bambi (and Thumper once he awoke) who they were and the most recent news of universal crisis's. Bambi and Thumper were in a state of shock.

"I thought the Heartless were bad enough," Bambi huffed.

"Heartless?"

"Beings created from the darkness of hearts," Chenry answered simply, she didn't want the tiny rabbit too involved. Thumper's face scrunched in confusion.

"The things that attacked you," Spyro reminded, Thumper's face lit up.

"Oh! Just wait till they come back they'll be sorry!"

"They're the reason you're mother is worried, she doesn't know they exist but she knows there's something in the forest that shouldn't be," Chenry explained, Thumper lost his enthusiasm.

"I can show you where the Prince was last seen," Bambi claimed, suddenly a doe appeared from the behind the leaves. Chenry, Spyro, Thumper and Bambi jumped. It was Bambi's mother.

"Mother!" Bambi cried as he bounded over to her, she instantly greeted him with warm affection.

"Don't run off like that again Bambi!" she scolded lightly, Bambi's ears drooped.

"I didn't mean to, I wanted Chenry to meet Thumper, we came right back!" Bambi replied, the doe eyed the other three.

"You must hurry back to your parents, the forest isn't safe now." She said, Thumper looked at the ground and Chenry and Spyro's heads tilted at the word _parents_.

"You do have parents don't you?"

"We…er, purple rabbits live with our parents for only a week." Spyro stated unconvincingly, Chenry didn't struggle for her answer.

"Orphan." She stated, the doe became abashed.

"Oh, you poor thing-"

"I've been doing great though, but I've been shy so that's why none of you have seen me before." The doe's eyes were large and sympathetic to the albino fawn.

"They're gonna help us find the Prince!" Bambi announced, his mother started.

"Bambi, that's not possible."

"Why not? You remember how I had to stand beside Sora? Chenry's like him, she wields a keyblade!" To prove him right, Chenry summoned her weapon into her mouth, the doe's mouth fell open.

"What an odd stick,"

"Yeah, it's a mouthful." Chenry joked after the keyblade vanished. Bambi glanced up at his mother.

"They can help," he promised, the doe's eyes had gone cloudy.

"I can't lose you again Bambi," the doe said softly.

"You won't,"

Chenry looked off into the distance, a feeling of foreboding clenching her heart like steel.

"In that case, follow us to the Meadow. That was where the Man in Black first appeared," the doe claimed, Chenry and Spyro peered up at her. She turned to Thumper.

"When we get to your home Thumper, you and Bambi will stay there." Bambi didn't object either, but disappointment gleamed in his eyes.

"Let's go," Chenry urged.

As they began to move, they didn't notice how a slender stag with a coat of bright crimson, fur spiked along his fetlocks and neck complete with antlers and startling green eyes made his way along a cliff overlooking their small creek.

Bambi's mother, however, heard something and craned her neck to the side to peer up at the cliff.

The red stag was gone.

* * *

**A/N:**

_I want fluff! Wah! Yes, yes, I bet you can guess who the red stag is lol. Anyway, I don't know what I'm waiting for (more plot to get out I suppose), perhaps I should've timed this better probably around Bambi's coming of age with his antlers an' all, imagining Axel in Bambi's place with Chenry as Faline approaching him under a blossoming tree awww!_

_I need to control myself._

_Maybe I can still do that, it'll just look weird...they can do it alone hehehe..._

Aspendragon

* * *


	26. Maple Maze

_Rachel's Song © Vangelis_

**..:Part XXV:..**

**..:Maple Maze:..**

Bambi's mother led them through the tall grass of the Meadow, Bambi had stayed as told with Thumper a few ways back. The doe eerily walked through the blazes of green, her ears alert and her tail threatening to straighten. Chenry often found herself looking around, as if expecting to spot the one who has been watching her since they left the creek. Spyro was busy keeping up with their long strides.

"There," the mother deer spoke softly as she pinpointed a small grove of brilliant maple trees ahead of them. They held bunches of pink blossoms in their numerous arms and seemed crowded together like a fancy bouquet.

"I will go no further," she said, but she did not back up she remained fixed in place.

Chenry nodded.

"All right, we'll be fine from here on out, thanks for your help." Chenry said, the doe nodded but still didn't move.

"I'll watch you from a distance," she claimed, Chenry's eyes glittered in confusion.

"You don't have to, I'm sure you're worried about Bambi." The albino replied, the doe smiled kindly.

"Bambi is fine where he is, I also know **where** he is. The maple grove over there confuses us, thus why it holds so much mystery. The scent overpowers our common sense…do be careful. Do not leap without thinking," the doe lectured gently, Chenry felt like Eleven were speaking her to again.

She refused to think further of the subject.

"Will do," the fawn replied, she walked around the doe with Spyro in tow.

They confidently made their way down a slight decline before a sweet aroma swarmed their scent glands.

"She wasn't kidding, my eyes are watering!" Spyro complained as he sneezed.

"Maybe you should stay here," after all, rabbits must have had keener noses than deer. Chenry stood as tall as her limited height allowed. "I'll be fine,"

"I should stay with you,"

"What could you do if we're attacked? _Bounce_ on everything?" Chenry joked, Spyro narrowed his eyes.

"If you insist, I'll keep watch out here. Give a scream if there's trouble,"

"And if there's trouble out here?" Chenry questioned, Spyro thundered his hind paw against the ground as hard as he could. Nearby quail hiding in the Meadow's vast plains flew out of their nests in a startled frenzy. Chenry grinned.

"Knew you had it in you mighty rabbit-dragon!" Chenry teased, Spyro huffed.

"Hurry inside before I roast your hide!" Spyro hissed, Chenry laughed as she pranced through the first row of ferns.

Inside, the maple trees didn't make a sound. Instead, a soft hymn similar to that of a woman's alto sang through the air. Chenry peered around, as her steps grew smaller; shyer. The sweet scent wasn't horribly strong, but it bothered her to an extensive amount.

It was when she began seeing the same trees, mushrooms and rocks that she began understanding what the doe had meant.

The scent had gotten to her head she shook it in hopes of releasing herself from the aroma's taunts.

She took a few more steps quite worried she might have been lost. Where was she heading for anyway? What was she looking for? The singer was growing louder the further she ventured inside the maple tree maze. It soothed her, but at the same time scared her. It felt as if an invisible ghost was guiding her. She wouldn't be eaten if she fell into a trap would she?

Light, whereas the forest was quite dark due to the lack of sunlight seeping in through the trees' canopies, began to pour through cracks between the tree trunks. She began picking up her pace, eager to gain more of it.

Soon a bright flash hit her, as her eyes adjusted she found herself in a clearing. There were no trees but one; it stood at the acme of a small inclining hill in the center of the clearing.

With a gulp, Chenry slowly treaded up the hill towards the great maple. The sky was blue here, with a few puffy, white clouds lazily floating above her. Chenry couldn't see above the rest of the surrounding maples.

"You're pretty cute when you're confused, that's all the time now isn't it?" Chenry swerved her head to the right. Her eyes narrowed.

"Axel." She breathed at last; there was no mistaking it. Even though he was dressed in a stag's garb, there was no doubt in her mind who that fiery tongue belonged to. The red stag's eyes gleamed emerald; they smirked down at her.

"Last time I saw you, you punched me." Axel claimed.

"I recall Roxas telling me otherwise," Chenry replied curtly.

"_Axel visited sometime before I passed out."_

Chenry shook her head, banishing the memory to the back of her mind. She had more important matters to discuss.

"Where IS Roxas anyway? Is he doing all right?" Axel didn't move, on the contrary he was very still. His ears folded back then forward again as if they were indicating he was thinking. His green eyes softened for a split second. Then he smirked.

"Don't worry about Roxas, he's like you now." He replied, Chenry was taken back, he took a step toward her. She could see his lean muscles rippling beneath his thin, red fur along his shoulders and powerful, slender legs. His antlers glistened ominously above them.

"Like me?"

"He's _whole_,"

"You're not making a lot of sense – less than usual in fact – what's got your antlers tangled?" Chenry attempted to lighten the mood as Axel's slow approach was making her nerves shudder. The eerie hymn wove around her ears and teased her eardrums. Chenry's ears tried to squeeze the melody out but found her eyes closing instead.

Axel seemed to have been in the same situation as his eyes were drooping as well as his head. Chenry felt a weight press against the top of her head; she managed to blink to recognize Axel's neck pressing against her nose.

"I'm not a pillow," she hissed in a tired slur, he yawned.

"You would make a good one,"

"Get off!"

"Make me," he challenged, her knobby fawn knees were close to buckling beneath her. Why was this song putting her to sleep?

Axel was giving in to sleep so his body weight pushed Chenry closer to the ground, eventually she too gave up and the two came tumbling to the ground.

Chenry faintly remembered impulsively curling up to the soft underbelly of something furry. The flesh burned like fire…

Moments later, when Axel was sure she had fallen asleep he lifted his head and stared at her. Why had she become a fawn in this world? She was a teenager; she should've been a full-grown doe? In that case, the whole situation would've been a little more romantic…and she wouldn't have fallen to the Song of the Maple (1).

Almost reluctantly, he crawled away from her then stood. With one last glance at the small, albino body he leaped into a dark portal.

He had a mission of his own to complete and he couldn't have her in the way.

Meanwhile, she slept on. Unaware of the world outside the maples.

_Sleep with fear and be scared my little magpie._

* * *

**A/N:**

_Yes, I know short chapter but it had to end this way so the next one sounded a little better lol. I just now came up with the idea of an older Bambi and Faline scene for Axel and Chenry, but Chenry was a fawn! Who's brilliant idea was it to make a youngun? Oh, me hehe...they can always return to the Dense Forest later...so yeah, Axel's got a mission and he wanted Chenry out of the way. This'll put a hiatus on us for a while...nah, just kidding, until next time! Adios!_

* * *


	27. Turmoil at Heart

**..:XXVI:..**

**..:Turmoil at Heart:..**

"_Thank you,"_

_You were there for me..._

"_You don't seem so happy to see me,"_

_I am…_

"_For you, safe, and completely free."_

_No, you're not that simple…_

_I walked in a hazy atmosphere with light pink fog blinding my vision. I felt my hand rise, but when I looked down to see it I couldn't. Where was I? These memories…they aren't mine…are they? I don't remember them, but I do. Who do these memories belong to? How am I connected? Someone help, I'm so lost…_

_Master Eleven…I need your help…please…_

"_What're you reading Master?" I asked quietly, yes, I remember this…it was a long time ago, but I recall it so clearly now. I was tired and sore from the training he gave me that day, I just couldn't go to sleep._

_Suddenly an image appeared before me, as if the fog was a curtain parting to reveal a show. It was a younger me on Master Eleven's lap. I dare say he was handsome, I always had a small infatuation with him, but I was a child…_

_A blissfully ignorant child…_

_I watched as the younger me fell asleep as he began talking. He had a sleek, long silver hair gathered over his right shoulder and ending in his lap. His skin was pale while his eyes a cool teal. I felt my eyes burn from the sheer memory of him…_

"_It's called _Forsaken_, it's about beings of Darkness and shells left behind, it's not terribly accurate, but Ansem the Wise is currently researching deeper on the matter…" Master Eleven peered over at my sleeping form and gently readjusted his grip. _

"_The author of the book is my sister, Rajine Eleven - now Rajine Dawnsword, she has a son around your age…they live on Destiny Islands."_

_The scene vanished in the fog cover, I blinked before running at it, but it was gone._

_Faint memories…attached to the heart and never truly forgotten._

_I was a human being again, but I didn't notice. I looked around calmly for a minute, then became frantic. I fell asleep right? Why am I not waking up? Why am I reliving memories?_

"_I see you…" my heart seemed to stop at the voice, it wasn't Master Eleven's…not mine…no…my throat hitched as my eyes widened with terror…I slowly turned around._

_It was Quen La Mov; mad and senile he glanced at me from the other side of an old tapestry. His face contorted and evil, he was grinning sadistically. Only half his face was visible, but I saw his single, visible eye scan my body._

"_You have grown up," he sneered, I screamed as I attempted to run. _

"_Aww…don't run, it only makes me want you more…" tears ran down my cheeks as my lungs labored for breath, his voice was growing CLOSER!_

_It was all a bad dream! A very, very disturbing nightmare! I want to wake up but can't! What is the Secret? If it's so great why isn't it helping me why isn't it doing anything? I don't know what it is, so how can I USE it? Where's my keyblade? Why can't I summon it? I feel so helpless and scared!_

_A flashback of a frightened, wet four-year-old albino girl clutching a stuffed dragon soared into my mind. It was Quen La Mov who had found me, who took me in and introduced me to Master Eleven, claiming I had a strong enough heart for something…_

_The memory hurried out of my mind as fast as it had come, but the older, stalker of a Quen La Mov was closing in on me from behind and I was still running in midair. Why wasn't I moving?_

"_Here," I blinked, my eyes clearing enough for me to make out a gloved hand reaching out to me. I peered down at its owner…_

_Axel…?_

_I felt my face redden even more (my crying had already made it blotchy), but my heart was pumping fast like butterfly wings flapping against a gale. It was Axel all right, but he wasn't smirking and his emerald eyes weren't looking at me like I was an idiot with no answers. _

_His face was kind, his eyes were smiling up at me, and this was the image of him I imagined from the beginning. What beginning? He was an ass attempting to feed me by kissing me!_

_He kissed me…at the time it wasn't important but now…_

"_Do you trust me?" he asked smoothly, I didn't know what to say. My heart said yes, my mind said no. What had he done to have me trust him? _

_Whole. I am whole._

_He had something to do with it, I know he did. Did that mean I owed him something? I hate being in debt, I certainly hope not…_

"_Do you trust me?" he repeated, I had drawn closer somehow as his hand grazed my face. Without hesitation, I leaned into his palm and my fingers wrapped around his wrist. I wanted to hug him around his torso, my head against his chest, but somehow…I feel like a fool. My mind screamed I was a fool, for liking someone who could not like back._

"_Axel," I muttered, I closed my eyes, he wasn't the real thing but my memory made his flesh burn that made the glove warm. He didn't respond, but I didn't care._

"_Quen La Mov hadn't found me…" I remember now._

"_He kidnapped me."_

"_I found you," my eyes opened slightly, had he just spoken? Or was it my imagination? How had Axel found me? _

"_He almost killed you, but couldn't." His lips were moving, but I couldn't believe he was talking. It made me want to cry because the real Axel would never be so comforting; he would always be a manipulative perverted pyromaniac…_

_Thank you._

"_You were there for me…" My eyes closed again, but Axel spoke again._

"_Wake up,"_

…

"_**Wake up Chenry**,"_

"**Chenry, wake up**." Mewtwo ordered softly, Chenry's eyes slid open and at once, she leaped to her feet nearly making her head collide with Mewtwo's. She stepped back onto Spyro's tail.

"YOW! Hey! We're only trying to wake-"

"Whoa! What happened?" she asked as she blinked away the sleep from her eyes, but she saw how all the maples had been stripped of their magenta leaves. It looked like a barren wasteland with only grass, as it's healthy plant-life. She looked beyond the maples; the rest of the forest seemed intact.

"Chenry, the Song of the Maple lulled you to sleep." Robin claimed, she turned her head toward him. "While you were asleep-"

"-a ton of Heartless appeared and this great red deer was leading 'em!" Spyro finished, Chenry's heart skipped a beat as she recalled her dream.

_Damn trees…_

"What happened after that?" Chenry pressed, Mewtwo took charge.

"**They were advancing on the forest, but we stood our ground. We did not know where you were**." The maples trifled with Mewtwo's psychic powers?

"Yeah, but before we could fight, a huge storm came up and whipped the Heartless off their feet! The red deer upped and vanished though, but then we saw you and we came over…"

"Autumn is falling fast, that storm was a clear warning. Whatever that stag was up to was delayed slightly." Stated Robin, I nodded.

"That was Axel, he's an Organization member." I said, Robin and Spyro looked taken back but Mewtwo (as usual) didn't look surprised.

"**He had gone off somewhere north, Chenry, there is something you need to know.**" Spyro apparently had already been informed, as he was sitting snugly in the grass below Chenry quite content he found something out before her.

"**The Man in Black are seemingly speeding up the seasons for some reason, Robin and I stumbled across a human camp. They are having an easier time hunting because the animals here are having a hard time cooperating with the sudden changes**,"

"That doesn't make sense," Chenry started, "What does the Organization have to gain from that?"

"We have a theory," Robin jumped in, "Before everyone left for Hallow Bastion, they were talking about Nobodies, the shells left behind after a Heartless is born. They – as in Organization XIII – are made up of Nobodies, are searching for something, we believed it was hearts."

"Any heart?" Chenry questioned.

"**Strong hearts make up more mass**," Chenry and Spyro exchanged startled expressions.

"The Prince!" they both yelped then glared at each other.

"Go ahead," Chenry sighed, Spyro smirked.

"The Prince of the Forest, he's been missing for a long time." Spyro explained.

"**That would make sense, it takes great courage and real heart to be a true ruler. Yet if the Organization has him, then why are they still here?**"

"They are searching for something else," Robin thought aloud.

"Another strong heart?" Spyro asked.

"That's it! They're searching for someone who had a strong enough heart to survive after his world's doom!" Chenry claimed.

"Bambi!" Spyro thought out loud.

* * *

They bounded out of the maples and across the Meadow; they were sprinting with Chenry in the lead (with Spyro bouncing on her back for the ride). If what they believed was true, then Bambi's adventures with a keyblade wielder were not over and he and all the forest dwellers were in real peril.

Chenry leaped over a rock into the forest followed by Mewtwo and Robin.

"Bambi!" Spyro called out, Chenry came to a stop at the creek they first met the fawn at along with the ducks and the doe. Speaking of which…

"Whatever happened to Bambi's mother?" Chenry asked, she turned her head to eye Spyro.

"She turned tail and ran when I came hopping along telling her to, she wasn't gonna move, but the Heartless were approaching fast…" he replied. "I saw Bambi join her and they both disappeared into here,"

The four scanned the area, but the only thing there was the aging scent of Bambi and Thumper from earlier that day with their first scramble with the Heartless in the forest.

"They're probably safe-"

"-for now. We have to find them and protect them, Bambi may have been in a battle before but it wasn't for offensive purposes." Chenry said, Spyro nodded in mute agreement.

A gunshot rang through the air; Chenry's ears even picked up the faint ruckus of dogs barking.

"The humans," Robin barked.

"**They are on the hunt**."

"But what are they after?" Chenry asked, almost frightened to know of the answer to her question.

* * *

Bambi's legs pounded against the ground in terror as he hurled through thick, thorny bushes his coarse fur could repel. His mother was behind him, she had been yelling at him a moment ago but had stopped yet he did not dare look back. She had strictly told him to keep going and NOT look back.

The leaves around him were turning color fast, but he didn't notice his senses were completely cut off from him as he neared their thicket.

"We made it!" he cried as he dashed into the dark wooded den. He turned around with a smile, expecting his mother to be right behind him.

"We-Mother?" Bambi stayed still for a moment, but the anxiety that had built up inside of him ushered him back out to look for her.

"Mother!?" he called out. The forest was still, but there was no doe quickly approaching him to tell them the Man was gone and they were safe – together. Where had she gone? Did she go another way to lead the Man on? She was a smart doe, she was his mother, and she always knew what she was doing. Maybe he should go out and look for her…

After several minutes of calling out her name and wandering deep into unknown territory, Bambi's voice was growing hoarse and soon he quit calling out her name. He should go back, she might be back by now…

"Are you lost?" a tricky voice asked, Bambi's ears perked, but knew right away it wasn't his mother. He turned to face a red stag with fierce green eyes. Right away, Bambi knew not to trust the stranger.

From his experience, being a different color meant you were not of this world and that could either be very good thing (in Chenry's case) or a very bad thing (in this case). Bambi backed away from Axel, clearly unsure of what to do. Running would be pointless, the stag would only catch up. Bambi couldn't fight with his bare head against those sharp antlers either, what could he do?

"No, are you?" Bambi tried to sound brave, like Sora. Yet Axel saw through the façade.

"Kind of, but I found what I have been searching for."

* * *

**A/N:**

_I do hope I'm making Chenry sound smart I know Bambi's mother was killed in the winter (thanks to Bambi 2 there was still a bit of snow afterward), but things were different in the actual games, so my story my rules ha! Anyway, I forgot to mention something in the last chapter._

(1) Song of the Maple - is actually Rachel's Song, I liked the whole concept of it and just gave it a different name, but I already gave it a disclaimer.

_Axel is not a nice person, he doesn't have a heart alas a nobody, he can only remember what it was like to have a heart. Don't get the two Axels in this chapter confused. I wanted to add more realism to Chenry, a.k.a. adding a girl moment. Any girl daydreams and the way Chenry's dream went was my attempt to make her seem like any other girl. She likes someone that she can imagine as a better person in hopes Axel will become just that and fall in love with her yadda yadda yadda, how the girl's mind works. Who doesn't imagine their crush coming out and saying they like you y'know? If you thought it was mushy, well, I WANTED FLUFF dangit! _

_I've come in terms with my inner writer and its telling me I have to write what I feel and I felt kind of lovey-dovey while typing this chapter. I believe intellect, experience and emotions are all handy in writing a great story. Always write what's on your heart, mind and soul and even though others may not like your story, maybe at certain moments they will when they're experiencing what you went through. Dunno, I think you guys get the deal._

_Sorry for the wait, I'm going to Florida for a week so miss me! Later!_

_**Question!**_

_According to this passage, who is Chenry unofficially, possibly related to?_

* * *


	28. Becoming the Hunted

**..::XXVII::..**

**..::Becoming the Hunted::..**

"What do you want me for?" Bambi asked, his mind too scrambled from the running then stumbling across this mysterious stranger to register where his mother had gone beforehand. All he felt was curiosity and anger, mostly because the red stag was preventing him from finding her.

"She's not coming back y'know," Axel said with a smirk, like he just told the greatest joke he ever heard. Bambi's ears twitched – but even with the words being handed to him nothing sunk in. His brain just refused to register anything that could have gone wrong with his mother.

"Who are you and what do you want me for?" Bambi repeated as he asked for more, Axel shrugged his question off casually.

"No particular reason you have to know," the red stag replied, he started to approach, but with each step he took Bambi stepped backwards.

"Stay away from me!" Bambi sharply yelled, fear fully evident in his hazel orbs now. Axel's emerald eyes gleamed confidently, he smirked.

"Make me," he said, Bambi narrowed his eyes and scrunched up his muzzle. He pushed his brain to the limit, thinking of anything that could possibly make the situation better, but he was still a fawn without even the little bumps that foreshadowed the coming of antlers. He tried to think like Sora, then again, he wasn't helpless like Bambi, he after all, had a keyblade…

His spirit jumped.

"Hey! Whoever you are!" Bambi cried without weakness, Axel's ears perked up out of slight shock. "You better leave now! Or else Chenry will be here and she'll fight you!"

"Chenry?" Bambi saw the smirk darken on the stag's face, but that did not dampen his newfound courage.

"Yeah! She's a keyblade wielder! I don't know exactly what you are, but your antlers are black and your pelt is red! You must not be of this world and neither is she!"

"Then why do you trust her if you do not trust me?" Axel was inwardly laughing, while the fawn rambled he slowly made his way closer to him. He would've summoned a shadow portal by now to get the show over with, but he was actually enjoying himself – allowing Bambi to gain false hope, so he could crush it in the end.

_Take that Yenchrx_… an image of the girl in human form flashed through his mind briefly, then Axel returned to his task.

Bambi frowned.

"Let me guess," Axel continued before the fawn could speak again, "she's like Sora?" Bambi reluctantly nodded. Axel took a final step; Bambi started just now realizing he was ten feet away. The fawn found his rump already brushing the thorny undergrowth behind him, if he turned to flee he would only skin himself despite his coarse fur.

"Understand kid, life's tough." Axel's eyes flashed again as flames began to ignite at the tips of each tine of his antler. Bambi cowered, not fighting the instinct that drove him closer to the ground. His eyes wide, he greatly resembled the saying '_a deer caught in headlights_.'

Axel swung around when a noise caught his attention – a gunshot. He snarled, but his face became one of shock when four figures tumbled out of the greenery and into their clearing. In the lead was an albino fawn with a violet rabbit on her back.

Chenry, whose back crashed into the ground, pulled herself up to her hooves before snapping around to face Axel. The red stag shook his head lightly, Bambi was right, she IS like Sora.

She took one look at his antlers before bursting out in full-fledged laughter that, for some reason, made something in him feel warm.

"Dude! You look like a friggin' lit menorah!!" Chenry managed to say in between powerful spurts of laughter, "I wish I had a camera!"

Axel huffed, trying hard to be angry at the insult, but the warmth inside him only increased. His brow furrowed and he stomped a front hoof, he turned to face the newcomers.

"If you intend to insult me, you'll have to do better." Axel claimed, Chenry didn't seem to hear, now Axel was beginning to grow irritated.

"**What is your purpose in this world Nobody?**" Mewtwo questioned Chenry's laughter calmed to hear his answer. The clearing had gone silent. Flames still licked at the tip of Axel's antlers like, as Chenry said, a menorah. Axel's smirk remained in place.

"To collect the strongest of hearts here," he simply said, like he was speaking of the weather.

"Why do you need them?" Robin pressed, Axel blinked.

"Why do you want to know? This isn't even your world," Axel replied, then suddenly his black antlers were engulfed in blazing red and orange flames. Two chakrams hurled out of the flames and circled around Axel.

"You'll find I adapted just as well as the four of you did," Axel stated, Chenry's jaw dropped open.

_He really doesn't have a heart…_ she thought glumly, then bulked up and summoned the Secretive Loner.

_Bring it Axel!_ She huffed and narrowed her red eyes on the crimson stag before them, Mewtwo's eyes shimmered azure, Robin brought forth his bow on his back and readied an arrow, and Spyro unsheathed his abnormally long claws.

Axel was the first to make a move, but he didn't do it alone. Several lesser nobodies known as dusks crawled out of black clouds that appeared out of thin air at Axel's heels. He charged with his head lowered with antlers still aflame and the dusks right behind him. Robin shot an arrow, striking a dusk where it's heart should be before its being vanished in a thick, purple-black fog.

Mewtwo destroyed the nobodies similarly to how he slaughtered the heartless back in Traverse Town, the dusks appeared to have a stomachache and held their midsection in attempts to comfort it before bursting. Spyro was midway through slicing a dusk when he coughed up a gray puff of smoke; he smirked confidently before continuing his attack.

The albino fawn had locked Axel's antlers with her keyblade, sweating heavily from the intensity of heat radiating off his black antlers. When a chakram came hurtling toward her, her side vision just barely caught it before she shoved Axel back with a spurt of strength before jumping back – just barely avoiding the chakram's impact with her side.

_Do you seriously mean to kill me Axel? _She pondered as Axel lunged at her again, but with two chakrams zooming in on her from above him. She evaded his attack and dodged the chakrams in a somersault.

"How long can you keep this up Chenry? This is hardly a warm-up for me," Axel teased viciously as he lifted his head to look at her. She snarled.

"…" she didn't reply because one, she didn't know how to answer and two, her mouth was occupied by her keyblade. Not only that, her mind continued to revert back to memories of when she was held captive in that castle with white interior decoration. He took care of her, for reasons she was still unaware of, but still. What made him change his mind?

She thought of perhaps how maybe his _Superior_ would want to keep her alive (not that she could die, but she still didn't know that they knew she couldn't) and torture her to learn of the Secret. Like how Master Eleven had dealt with…

Quen La Mov…he still reigned in Byozone City, this fight will not keep her from her duty (which, as Eleven's successor, was to protect the royal family and battle against all who oppose them). Her eyes flashed and Axel noticed, he smirked.

"I only remember how it was to be angry," he claimed, this didn't register in the fawn's mind, but she charged head-on at him anyway. He lowered his head just in time as the keyblade clashed against his lit antlers.

"Get out of my way!" this shocked Axel long enough for her back hooves to hit the right side of his face. She had released her keyblade and kicked him! For a cost, his lit antlers drove into her side and slashed into her fur and flesh, blood gushed from the new wound.

"Chenry!" someone cried, but Chenry wasn't paying attention. Her vision suddenly went hazy from the blood she was losing. Axel had withdrawn his antlers and the flames dispersed the Secretive Loner fell to the ground not content to vanish until Chenry said so. The red stag peered down at the fawn who was wobbly on her feet, because of the flames of his antlers the wound he inflicted on Chenry were black and larger than they would have been if it were his tines alone.

Chenry was in too much shock and pain to cry or even tear, her knobby knees began to buckle, but a voice rang through the atmosphere that managed to penetrate her dull senses.

"Hold on Chenry! This will help!" Out of nowhere it seemed, a brown blur ran past Chenry's vision and small, hazy green orbs bounced out behind it. Many tumbled into her and Axel didn't attempt to push her out of their way. He was mesmerized by how her wound was healing – as if by magic, but his mind told him it was. The more the green orbs became one with her the wound became smaller, less dangerous until it wasn't there at all like it never was.

Despite the savage gash the sharpness of Chenry's hind hooves cast upon him, he didn't move to retrieve any of the leftovers himself. Instead, her other friends (Mewtwo, Robin and Spyro) plucked them from the ground for themselves, after seeing to it Chenry was fine of course.

Soon Chenry's senses returned at full power and she swiped the Secretive Loner from the ground, ready to fight on. She wasn't aware Axel had enough.

He hurt her and somehow, he recalled how terrible he would have felt before he became a nobody…

Axel remained motionless before the albino, peering down at her as she began to race toward him in blind rage.

A loud bang rang through the air, Mewtwo, Robin and Spyro snapped their heads in the direction in came from – Mewtwo, with his psychic abilities, destroyed the remaining advancing dusks as Axel wasn't summoning them anymore.

"Man," Bambi, who had been scattering the green orbs earlier, whispered. He had been an ally of Sora's, who in all reality was a 'Man', but he could not bring himself to think these humans were as friendly and warm as he was (which they were not). The male fawn was torn between dashing away or staying with his newfound friends.

Chenry, who had came to an abrupt halt in her charge to look toward the source of the noise, peered back to glare at Axel.

He was gone.

She frowned angrily, the coward…

"We have to leave or-" Bambi burst after realizing they were without enemies.

"They're already very close," Robin pointed out nervously, not eager to become the hunted again.

"Where do we have to run? Let's stand and fight, the problem will be resolved one and for all," Spyro suggested.

"**That is the natural order of things here, we cannot pursue that kind of problem.**" Claimed Mewtwo, Robin gulped, but nodded in agreement. Spyro huffed, angry about more than anything he couldn't test out whether the fire was building yet within him or not. Bambi was anxiously hovering near a dense thicket beside him, wanting to bolt now more than ever as the sound of several barking dogs made their way toward them.

"We have to get out of here!" Bambi nervously cried, the Secretive Loner vanished from Chenry's mouth.

"He's right! We gotta go!" the albino fawn shouted.

"But where to?" Robin asked.

"I know a place, where Mother and I live…" Bambi trailed off, now without the rush of battle in him, he began to think of what Axel had said. Shadows crept up on Bambi's face as he realized something, his mother hadn't returned yet…and the sky glowed an angry red and terrible orange and yellow. The sun was vanishing, yet his mother was still nowhere around.

Was that odd, red stag telling the truth after all?

Bambi shook his head, not ready to believe anything of it just yet.

"All right! We have to hurry lead the way Bambi!" Chenry shouted as Spyro hopped up on her back bracing his tiny body for her fast sprint.

Another gunshot rang through the air and this time, struck very close. Chenry heard something whiz past her ear and make a small crater in the trunk of an oak tree ten feet to her left. They all looked at the forest in fear in the opposite direction; they saw a pack of darkly colored dogs charging toward them with fangs bared and eyes flashing with the excitement of the hunt coursing through them. Not far behind them were a few figures on horses galloping toward them, rifles at their shoulders.

Chenry gasped.

"RUN!!" And so they did, with Bambi with a tight lead in front, the four companions raced ahead right behind him.

They were only a few minutes into the run when they realized the dogs were catching up at an alarming rate.

"What should we do? Turn and fight?" Chenry cried out.

"We can't put Bambi in danger!!" Robin shouted back, he too desperate for any idea that wasn't too stupid.

"We are already in danger if you haven't noticed!" Spyro yelled as he clasped onto Chenry's fur with all his might.

"**Wait,**" Mewtwo said quite calmly, but kept running. Apparently he meant wait while running for their lives because that's what they continued doing for the next several minutes until Chenry believed she felt the dogs' breath on her tail.

"Mewtwo!" shouted Chenry, then a large shadow careened over her and she watched in wonder.

A large stag (bigger than even Axel) with a long mane growing from his neck, a grand rack of antlers more terrifying than the pyro's black ones, and a lean, bulky, but agile body somehow landed gracefully then charged head-on through the pack of hunting dogs.

He pulled himself upright to fling a canine into the air then brought his fore-hooves down on another.

The fight was short-lived as the stag said in a tone full of authority through the midst of savage dogs and the sound of approaching horses:

"Come with me!" he leaped over the remaining dogs that were not injured or worse, he landed beyond some bracken before looked back, nodding his head once in the direction he was going (adjacent to the hunters) before falling into a long stride away from the scene. The others didn't hesitate to follow; they bolted just in time to miss another close bullet that vanished into some ferns.

It was far into the evening when the stag brought them to a clearing shrouded by bare branches with a single dead log over what looked to be some sort of shelter for the stag.

It was then, that Chenry and company noticed that there was not a hint of greenery left. The forest had been stripped of all green and colorful plants and had gone dormant as they fled.

"You guys weren't kidding about the seasons…" Chenry muttered as she gazed around, Spyro slid off her back.

"We gotta rid the world of the nobodies and fix the time before we can leave it," Spyro said, Chenry looked at him.

"What?" She shook her head, oblivious to the rabbit, she was in awe that he wasn't talking of getting off the world as fast as he possibly could to find his Homeland.

"Those were Man, if you didn't know." The large stag began as he confronted the four and Bambi. "They've been on hunts every night with their loud sticks and tame wolves." Chenry nodded, but eyed him as she did so.

"Would you happen to be the Prince of the Forest?" Chenry asked softly, the stag's ears swiveled toward her.

"Yes," he answered, Bambi watched him in silence. Remembering how strong and proud he was when he first saw him in the Meadow and how he rescued he and his mother from Man. In Bambi's eyes, the figure was as great as ever even though the forest was in turmoil and he had been absent for a long time.

"I must thank you, for taking care of Bambi in my absence," the grand stag said, the four only nodded, not exactly sure of what to say except a meager 'no problem' (courtesy of Chenry).

"Umm…Sir?" Bambi spoke up, the stag turned his head toward him, Bambi didn't flinch before his antlers. He only idolized him more, there was no one else Bambi wanted to grow up to be.

"Do you…know…" Bambi wasn't sure if he should ask, "where my mother…is?"

The stag's breath could now be seen in the air and a chill settled on the group. The sky darkened with gray, bloated clouds.

"She can no longer be with you now," the stag replied gently, Chenry, Spyro, Mewtwo and Robin looked at each other. All of them coming to the same conclusion that it was indeed, Bambi's mother that had been the ones the hunters were shooting at before they reentered the forest earlier.

Bambi's reaction was worse, but not what they were expecting. He was quiet, his frame was still and his ears were erect, but they slowly drooped and his body sagged under the weight of the response. A single tear ran down his right cheek as his big, brown eyes looked away from the stag. The adult deer didn't attempt to comfort the fawn, instead, he let him be.

"We thought you had been captured?" Robin brought up, despite not being with Chenry and Spyro when they found that out, he and Mewtwo knew (possibly because of the cat pokemon).

"I was," the stag replied, "by the Man in Black, I escaped however."

"How?" Spyro pressed.

"I'm not sure, all I remember is seeing the forest in much peril and all I wanted to do was help it. Then I was free to do just that," the stag explained, Chenry nodded.

"The strength of your heart got you out of that mess," Chenry replied, "I knew they wouldn't get away with it."

"Since when?" Spyro asked, Chenry turned to glare at him.

"I'm always optimistic!" she retorted, he grunted.

"Yeah, right…" Spyro muttered, Chenry knocked him back with a hoof.

"**Do you know where you were kept?**" Mewtwo asked, Chenry wondered if his power was limited to only what the mind he was reading knew.

"It is all misty to me," the stag replied glumly, "I'm sorry."

"It's no big deal, as long as you're safe." Chenry said brightly.

"No, it's not, they can just recapture him. If we can just find where they took him we can chase the nobodies out," Spyro corrected her.

"How about sealing the keyhole?" Robin offered, Mewtwo nodded at the idea.

"**That would help much more,**"

"Great! So…where is it?" questioned Chenry, Mewtwo was blank, Robin and Spyro shrugged and the stag looked baffled. Only Bambi seemed to be the only one who was doing some deep thinking.

"When I was with Sora," Bambi said, apparently pushing his mourning aside at the moment, he sounded braver since he felt he knew something of great importance, "a keyhole always appeared around a place of a lot of meaning to it. Like a cove of mystical butterflies and at the place where gnarled tree was uprooted, it was then the battle was over and the world was revealing it's secret to Sora."

"Okay…know of any place significant?" Robin asked, he was now sitting with his tail curled around his paws.

Bambi and the Prince of the Forest peered at each other briefly.

"There are many places in the forest that are beautiful and rich, but nothing terribly out of the ordinary. If this keyhole is to appear it would be somewhere that is unique, as Bambi said, it has to be a specific place." The Prince claimed, Bambi perked up immensely from the proof the Prince had listened to him.

"All right, a specific place…hm…" they all sat there and thought and peered around, as if hoping a sign would emerge and point them in the right direction.

A light fall of snow fell on the group before they reached a solution, the Prince ushered Bambi, Chenry and company under the log, which they found extremely spacious even as the Prince joined them beneath the bark.

"How about we try someplace important to one of you, perhaps more so to you," Robin said toward the Prince, Bambi looked up intently at the stag.

"There is one place I hold dear, it's a little distance away from here, but we could make it there in less than a single sun," the Prince said, somewhat bashful over what he was admitting. Mewtwo let a small smile slip through his façade. Chenry, Robin and Spyro eyed him suspiciously as he refused to give up what he had just learned.

"**That might just do**," Mewtwo said, leaving the three in dismay to find out later on. The Prince nodded.

"All right then, we will go there tomorrow when the sun rises again."

* * *

**A/N:**

_I apologize for the LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONG wait, very sorry!!! Forgive me 3333_

_Anyway, we're coming to an end to Bambi's world, prepare for the next kay! That will hopefully come sooner, my New Year's Revolution (which I'm starting 23 days late) is to get the stories I have done before 2009 ends lol good luck to me._

_All right, if there are any questions or critiques you would like to point out you know the drill:_

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	29. N'Ice Recovery

**..::Part XXVIII::..**

**..::N'Ice Recovery::..**

The next morning, the four companions, the Prince and Bambi awoke to find the forest covered in a blanket of snow. When Chenry tested out the depth of it, she found her body sinking into the cold white up to her belly.

"This is crazy," the albino commented, Spyro leaped up onto her back to have a chance to see above the snow. Mewtwo used his telekinesis to stay afloat the surface while Robin's light figure managed to do just the same without the psychic abilities. The Prince, just like Chenry, sank, but could manage through the snow with more ease. Bambi, on the other hand, in the same state as Chenry seemed to enjoy what the weather gave them. He was the second after Chenry to come out from underneath the log, but with more enthusiasm.

"Bambi likes the snow," claimed Chenry as the Prince began to lead them away toward the place he spoke of the night before.

"What was your first clue?" Spyro asked sarcastically, exhaling sharply and deeply in belief his fire power was returning, but to no avail, only a puff of smoke emitted from his throat and sizzled in the air at his nose. Chenry attempted to jump about like Bambi behind the Prince, but tired out faster, she mentally reasoned it was because Bambi was more of a child than she was.

"The good thing is," the Prince spoke, again his voice so full of authority that the four, including Bambi, couldn't help but listen, "Man and his tame wolves will not be returning until the snow begins to melt."

That could very well be within a few days if the sun decides to show itself, all of them knew. Chenry looked up at the sky; billowy, thick clouds shrouded the forest and trapped the sunlight from reaching them.

After a while, as much as she tried not to and with Spyro's added weight, Chenry began to tire pushing through the snow until Mewtwo took it upon himself to lift Chenry up onto the snow's top layer. She thanked him and they traveled well into the afternoon until the Prince came to a stop at a small clearing.

Everything was white and frozen. Chenry came face-to-face with a snow-ridden branch with red berries encased in transparent ice. The Prince was still and seemed to be scanning the area. Although the snow was thinner there, to be honest, none of the four seemed to find anything remotely interesting. Mewtwo even confessed he felt nothing peculiar that could lead them in the right direction, which was in fact, the direction of the keyhole.

"Do you feel anything?" Chenry asked the Prince, not sure why they were so focused on sensing out the keyhole in the first place. The great stag closed his eyes in disappointment.

"There's also the Meadow," the Prince mentioned, Mewtwo shook his head.

"We have already been there," Spyro replied.

They all, even Bambi, stood and thought some more. Bambi didn't want to admit it, but he wanted to know why this clearing was so important to the Prince of the Forest.

Meanwhile, Chenry had been pondering over Axel.

"_Be wary stranger, a Nobody is as much of a foe of yours as you believe it to be an ally." The hooded man spoke in a riddled tone before stepping into a wall of animated darkness._

She was terribly baffled over the matter as she was convinced the day before he didn't have a heart, as that was the definition of a Nobody – a shell of a being who had lost his or her heart. Now, looking back when he had hesitated to go further after stabbing her then left, she had second thoughts. Maybe he remembered how he would have felt if he had gone further, but she was sure he must have murdered before, so why was he reluctant to finishing her off? Then again, even if she made herself trust him than it would be for naught in the end, a Nobody, after all, was as much of a foe to her as an ally, or so the hooded man said…

What's even more curious, where was he now? Now that the Prince had escaped the Organization's grasp, what did they have more to gain from this world? Would they try to capture and contain the Prince again? And what about Bambi? Were they still plotting to catch him too? Chenry's head was spinning and unaware to her, so was everyone else's.

"Well…any ideas?" Spyro asked, breaking the silence. Robin sighed.

"No…" he replied.

"Um…" Bambi muttered, all eyes turned on him. His ears folded slightly, but remembering he was before the Prince he straightened himself. "I forgot to mention…when I was with Sora, the keyhole was revealed whenever he, Donald and Goofy defeated a boss…like Oogi Boogi and Jafar,"

Even though none of them could fathom who those villains were (possibly Mewtwo knew), they all came to the same conclusion.

"So…were they natural bad guys to the world?" Chenry asked, Bambi nodded. "Maybe we should have taken down those hunters?"

Mewtwo still turned the idea down.

"**Jafar and Oogie Boogie were lone bosses and each one threw the balance of the world off turbulence with their evil ways, the hunters are part of the cycle of this world.**" Mewtwo explained neatly, Chenry and Spyro huffed.

"Then who is there to fight to get the keyhole to reveal itself?" Chenry questioned, an unexpected chill suddenly ran up her spine. A lukewarm breeze danced with their furs.

"Season change," Spyro growled as a drop of water splashed on his nose.

"That was faster than the last one," Chenry observed as rain began to pelt down on them.

"They're getting worse!" cried Robin as lightning streaked across the sky, illuminating the clouds.

"We must find shelter!" the Prince exclaimed, they all nodded and began to run into the trees. The sky grew darker as the rain fell harder, melting the snow with each drop. Chenry ran behind the Prince and Bambi, Robin and Mewtwo were nowhere to be seen. The snow at the two deer hooves wound up in her face and she coughed and sputtered, neither she nor Spyro noticed how Chenry was going off course behind the Prince and Bambi.

"Peh!" Chenry coughed as she shook the slosh out of her face then peered up; the Prince and Bambi were nowhere to be found.

"Great!" Spyro cried, "we're lost!"

"No, we're not!"

"Um…yeah, yeah we are!" The argument lasted until the ground grew muddy and whatever snow was left had turned brown. The rain shower became more than a lightning storm as thunder roared across the land.

"Look! Chenry!" Spyro pointed out a small, sheltered nook beneath some heavy pines. Chenry bolted under it and Spyro went tumbling off her back from her abrupt halt of momentum. He landed on his head and skidded into a stone wall, he seemed to choke and his body began to shake violently.

"Spyro?" Chenry gasped, hurrying over to his side when a black puff of smoke sputtered from his lips. He slid down to the cove floor with a gruff sigh.

"It's taking forever!" he snarled, Chenry sighed as the rain pelted down harder outside the cove.

"It'll come, when you least expect it, but I don't think I need to tell you that…" Chenry said as she turned to look out the rain, Spyro huffed as he sat up and crossed his arms over his chest.

"So…that guy yesterday…Axel was it?" Spyro brought up after a minute of silence, Chenry's head snapped toward him.

"Huh?"

"Don't play dumb, you _know_ him – unless you act familiar with everyone who wants to kill us?" Spyro was eyeing her suspiciously; she couldn't help but smile.

"Are you suggesting I'm conspiring against you, Mewtwo, and Robin? Get real, Scaley," the albino fawn said as she attempted to shrug off Spyro's suspicion; the rabbit tapped his right hind paw against the floor of the cove softly.

"What are you looking for?" he asked, impatience evident in his tone.

"Hmm, that's hard to say." She replied, Spyro huffed.

"Now you're being difficult,"

"It's simply…complicated is all,"

"What a contradiction,"

"Yep,"

"It's just…" Spyro struggled to get his wording right, "…you were persistent about landing here, of all the worlds, either you're searching for something or…you do want to help out other worlds."

"There was another reason," claimed Chenry.

"And that is…?" Chenry sighed.

"Can we not talk about it anymore?"

"Spill it!" growled Spyro, he was tired of waiting and if there was one thing he couldn't stand was waiting for an answer that was obviously standing right there in front of him.

"Fine…just be honest with me when I tell you okay and don't judge me…not yet…kay?" Spyro raised an eyebrow.

"Um…sure, yes, fine. Just tell me already, you don't seem to want to return to your own world," he pointed out, Chenry gave a slight nod.

"That's partly true," she admitted, her eyelids drooped as she turned her gaze out toward the rain. "But…Byozone City…isn't my world."

"Byozone…City?"

"It's where I have been living before this whole ordeal began with the Organization and Heartless and so on," replied Chenry, Spyro nodded.

"The strange thing is, I don't think you know this, but worlds have not always been connected…before the Heartless came, not even your Ether would have guided us to another world – heck, none of us – me, you, Mewtwo, and Robin – would never have meant if it weren't for the Heartless. It's just one big mess really," Chenry explained, so far Spyro wasn't terribly lost, but he kept his furry mouth shut, knowing she'll probably answer his questions in due time before the end of the conversation.

"Thing is…I was kidnapped from the world I was born in, a long time ago…BEFORE the Heartless came…" Chenry confessed calmly, but her voice was laced with sadness. Her tail and ears had drooped considerably and even though she wasn't standing in the rain, she looked like she was weighed down by the burden of a storm cloud.

"Do you remember when you first landed in Twilight Town, Spyro?"

_She raised her left palm to the dragon's face._

Her eyes were a faded red lacking pupils.

_Its eyes closed quickly and along with its great arched back, a good two hundred pounds and long neck; the dragon fell to its side where it created a small shower. Chenry dropped her hand and her eyes returned to normal._

"I remember the battle between the dragons of my Homeland and the Heartless when they first came to our world…then I guess I got knocked out or something. I was encased in something extremely hot…like I was on fire, which is impossible for my kind…fire in all reality can't harm us, but this did…then I was wet and tired. The last thing I recall was when I woke up beside a campfire surrounded by the lot of you." Spyro admitted, the albino fawn sat down; fatigued.

"You were more of a danger to yourself than us, if I hadn't been able to snap you out of your rage you would have pushed way beyond your limits at that time. You were asleep when I was explaining one of my qualities that night on Sunset Hill…I have this power, it's formally called the Secret."

"All right, so this…Secret thingy…?"

"Was what calmed you, but that had been the first time I had used it and I'm still not even sure of how I did it."

"Does it only work on dragons?"

"I have no idea, Master Eleven gave me little to no details of the power."

"Hm…then I don't understand the point of it,"

"It is a _Secret_ power I guess,"

"Perhaps its power is keeping its proper title _secret_," Spyro attempted to joke, but Chenry didn't even crack a smile.

"I thought of that, but it didn't get me anywhere."

"Are there any other things the Secret does?"

"It doesn't allow me to die until I pass it on to a successor,"

"Oh…how did your master pass it on to you?"

"Ugh…" Chenry folded her legs beneath as she lay completely down on the floor, she appeared to have a headache.

"Right after Master Eleven gave it to me…Quen La Mov, a scary man who kidnapped me from my world, he threw me into a brick wall…that was when I first met Axel, he was sent to confront him strictly on business from the Organization."

"So do they know what the Secret and it's capabilities are?"

"I do think…they know more about it than me, but I've been wanting to search the answers out myself."

"You mean…"

"Yeah, that's why I wanted to land here. I have no idea what the name or even what my birth world looks like. Any place could give me a clue in the proper direction and I believe my original world can tell me what I want to know."

"Did the Secret originate from where you were born?"

"It might have been, but Master Eleven was born in Byozone City."

"Spyro, what I didn't want you to judge me on was what I had been thinking lately – I don't want to return to Byozone, but I hate thinking like that because I'm supposed to protect them – the Royal family…but since when I learned of being kidnapped, I desperately wished to return home…"

"Who told you…you were kidnapped?"

"Quen La Mov, he was trying to break me to get to Master Eleven." Chenry nearly spat out. Spyro's ears threatened to bend back out of anger himself toward the man.

"Is he the one you dream about?"

"Huh?"

"I sometimes hear you when you sleep, most nights you're quiet, but last night…you kept us awake at one point." Chenry, despite her fur, went bright red.

"W-what? Seriously?"

"Seriously," Spryo replied, Chenry glowed. "You weren't coherent, but you whimpered and you even kicked at Bambi…"

"Why didn't you guys tell me?"

"We didn't think you would want to be reminded during the day, when you have to deal with it during the night…"

"Damn…nothing is simple!"

"When is life ever?" Spyro moaned, Chenry lowered her head to the floor.

"Spyro?"

"Hm?"

"Thanks for listening,"

"Uhh…no prob,"

Hours later, when the sky was a navy, midnight blue speckled with stars did Chenry awake. She peered over at Spyro who remained sound asleep. The albino fawn looked outside the cove, her ears swiveled on top of her head.

"It's spring, wonder how long this one will last." She stood and treaded cautiously outside the sheltered nook, flowers were blossoming in a fast pace all around her and despite the unnatural cycle of it, the forest still reeked of beauty. The grass outside the nook was soggy; water still sat in puddles since the ground could no longer absorb any more of it. Chenry blinked sadly up toward the sky, her red eyes faintly glowing from the touch of sunshine.

"_It's gorgeous here isn't it, Chenry? Just like back at home,"_ Chenry's attention snapped toward a handsome older man with long silver hair and cool teal eyes. He was dressed in a navy blue tunic with a white sash around his waist and silver buttons. Eleven was sitting on a large boulder surrounded by tall grass and dandelions. Chenry gulped, he seemed so ethereal…

"M-Master?" she frowned at the sight of him, she knew he was dead, so why was she hallucinating? "What are you…?"

He smiled.

"Run, Sparx! That sheep is really…Cyndar…zzz…" Chenry jumped a mile and glared back at the sleeping dragon-rabbit. She snorted before looking back to find Eleven gone, just like Axel the day before.

_Back at home? What home, Master?_ Despite being terribly confused, Chenry sat down with a frown marring her face.

For several minutes she sat there, every now and then she would feel the ground shiver, but chose to ignore it. She would sometimes get up and pace back and forth; her left ear would twitch occasionally too. When she felt she was too restless to stay there anymore she went to nudge Spyro. Halfway to the nook a soft roar pierced the silence of the forest around them, causing Chenry to come to an abrupt halt.

"What was that?" she asked no one in particular quickly, her front left hoof had been risen in half step and her ears were erect.

"No…I don't want to eat it, Sparx…it'll give me indigestion…zzz…" Spyro muttered in his sleep, the ground began to shake constantly now and Chenry scooped Spyro up by the scruff of his neck and onto her back. Thankfully, he finally woke up with droopy eyelids.

"Wuzzgoinon?" he muttered in a string of words almost misunderstood by Chenry. The albino fawn toppled over her hooves once or twice trying to find more stable ground, but the more she moved the harder the ground shook.

"What did you do, Chenry?!" Spryo cried as he suddenly registered what was happening.

"What makes you think I did something?" she cried back as she tried to find some balance, Spyro clung to her withers with some difficulty. His eyes looked around then landed on something, with his eyes as large as golf balls; he tapped Chenry on the shoulders.

"Chenry…" he said in a quiet voice, she frowned back at him then followed his gaze, when her eyes landed on his point of interest her eyes too, grew in size. A shadow cast over them as a large, demonic creature blocked out the sun as it stood over them. When it came to a stop, the ground stopped shaking.

"I think we found our boss…" Chenry managed to say. It was a giant troll of some sort with rocky brown and gray skin, a lumpy bone structure so joints plus a bump on top of its head were terribly visible, two beady eyes narrowed gleefully down at them with a hungry gleam in them. It wore rangy trousers and a sleek black vest with the Heartless mark over its left breast. In each of its large hands that were the sizes of thick tree trunks there were colossal clubs that seemed to glitter when the sunlight hit them.

Chenry instinctively started back up with a weird grin on her face.

"G'morning…er…big guy!" she greeted with a very nervous hue in her voice, Spyro's ears were back and for the first time since they landed, he appeared just like every other rabbit in danger – still and praying to god not to be seen. When the giant troll didn't reply Chenry laughed a little uncertainly.

"BABY DEER ALONE WITH BUNNY STEW," the troll said with its lips curving up into a gaunt smile, Chenry's ears went back.

"No, no, baby deer skinny and bunny stew will give indigestion," claimed Chenry, Spyro looked appalled.

"Hey! Where do _you-_"

"BABY DEER AND BUNNY STEW! YUM YUM!" Chenry and Spyro screamed as the troll raised a club above his head and swung it down, Chenry leaped out of the way and nearly lost her newfound balance again when the club hit the ground – sending out another set of shockwaves.

"RUN!!!" Spyro shouted and Chenry didn't need to be told twice, she broke into a sprint with the giant right behind them.

"Ok! Ok! We can figure this out! Big, ugly guy with clubs obviously aligned with the Heartless!" Chenry spoke as she ran through the densely overgrown forest.

"Big, ugly guy with clubs is also gaining on us!" Spyro added, Chenry's tail curved upward as she put more speed in her stride out of panic.

"Maybe we can lead it to a gorge and push it in!" Chenry suggested.

"Do you _know_ where any gorges are?"

"No!" shouted Chenry, "I was hoping _you _would!"

"Damn! Where's my Fire Breath when I need it!" Spyro shouted, another black puff of smoke escaped him mouth, this time it sparked.

"Hey! Watch it! You're going to singe my fur!" Chenry scolded, Spyro smirked.

"I feel it! It's coming!"

"That's no good if it isn't here NOW!"

As if to prove Chenry's point, the giant troll brought down one of his club and it crashed into the ground merely inches away from them, sending the albino fawn and rabbit airborne. Regaining her balance, Chenry landed with uneasy grace before sprinting on. The club was, however, picked back up by its owner with ease and the giant troll gained ground on them again.

Somehow and in some way, Chenry managed to keep sprinting at a consistent pace for the next several minutes, but it was evident to both companions she couldn't keep it up much longer once the panic started to ebb away.

"Can't…breathe…!" Chenry managed to huff out and with Spryo's combined weight; her speed was slowing down tremendously. The purple rabbit on her back began to thumb her soft, white-brown flanks with his right hind paw.

"C'mon! Over that log! Our best hope is to hide!" Chenry nodded and launched herself over the upcoming fallen tree and…landed on it on her belly.

"Are you _serious_?!" Spryo exclaimed, Chenry would have smiled sheepishly if it weren't for the destructive troll steps right behind them.

"BABY DEER!" Chenry struggled and flailed to swing her hind legs over, but without success. Even with Spryo's effort combined.

"Help me, Spyro!"

"Can you not _feel_ me trying here!" he cried back, "I can't get a grip! Your fur's too short!"

"MASTER BE VERY HAPPY!" The troll blurted with a gruesome grin on a face only a she-troll would love. His run diminished to a slow walk with tremors at each step, smashing his clubs together in front of him.

"Master?" Chenry looked back at the approaching troll with confusion, she peered back at it with Spyro yanking her tail. "You mean Quen La Mov?" The troll giggled childishly, but dangled his clubs on either side of him where they hit the ground.

"MASTER BE HAPPY I KILL KEYBLADE GIRL!" he bellowed happily, Chenry's ears perked up. She hadn't withdrawn her keyblade since the chase started!

"How did he know I was a keyblade wielder?" the albino whispered frantically at a tugging Spyro, he rolled his eyes uncharacteristically.

"Heartless can sense those hearts strongest to wield a keyblade!" he replied, Chenry's mouth formed a comical O.

"Ohhhh…I knew that,"

"It shows," Spyro claimed sarcastically, "He must be talking about the person who is in control of the Heartless."

"MASTER MALIFICENT WILL BE VERY HAPPY! SHE ALREADY NOT HAPPY SHE CANNOT KILL KEYBLADE BOYS!" The troll laughed and he raised his clubs again, across his face was a very toothy grin. With a wave of panic, Chenry dug her hooves into the rotting log and pushed herself up, landed neatly on it beside Spyro.

"So was my help necessary _at all?_" Spryo snarled, the deer inside Chenry told her to bolt with her tail as high as it could go, but she resisted the instinct. In a snap, she summoned her keyblade.

She grunt as she angled herself swiftly so the tip of the keyblade faced the troll, she realized with a jolt there was no more point to running. She knew the flesh of a troll wasn't easily penetrated, so magic will have to be the answer.

Fire balls as large as a human hand rocketed from her keyblade and hit the troll square in his bulging stomach. Leaving scorch marks and making the troll howl in pain, but it did not drop its clubs much to Chenry and Spyro's disbelief.

Leaving Spyro, knowing the troll only had eyes for her, she bounded around it casting Fira after Fira in the troll's direction. Charring his attire and exposed skin, but as the pain doubled the troll took the offensive. Throwing down his clubs anywhere he could sent the smaller of the battlers into the air and jumbling up their legs every time they tried to land and run.

Several times Chenry landed wrong and thought one of her ankles twisted or worse, broke, but once she started running the pain would ebb away to make room for panic. Meanwhile, Spyro was exhaling ample bouts of black smoke as if he were trying to make his own storm cloud. His body shuddered and his eyes began to glow, but he still couldn't seem to summon his Fire Breath.

"SPYRO-!" Something snagged her left hind leg and before it registered, she was hanging upside-down peering into the troll's angry eyes.

"BAD BABY DEER! I EAT YOU NOW!" With that he lifted her higher and higher and over his waiting, open mouth. Thinking with a whirl of inspiration, she readjusted her grip of her keyblade with her front legs and pointed it down at the troll's uvula. At the same time Spyro was enveloped by a white-blue aura.

"YUM!"

"Take this Sasquatch!" Chenry cried, launching Fira fire balls into the troll's mouth, before the troll had time to react Spyro lunged forward and a breath as cold as ice and white as snow burst from his furry lips, the breath fogged up around the troll. The effect spread up to his arm, revealing his being was encased in ice. The fog cleared up; the troll was blue and unmoving. Putting away the Secretive Loner, Chenry looked down, noticing the fur of the scruff of her neck was caught up in between the troll's frozen fingers. She kicked at his wrist, surprising herself with how easy it was to crack everything inside now that it was all frozen.

"Hold on, Chenry!" it was Spyro, the shock of the return of his Ice Breath didn't seem to faze him.

Chenry stopped kicking at the troll's wrist, but the cracks she made spread and with a chipping sound, the wrist was split in two and sliding off his arm along with the albino fawn. She pulled forward, painfully trying to extract her fur from the frozen fingers of the troll. With a dreadful sinking feeling, she felt her body being forced to fall along with the rest of the troll's hand. Bracing herself for impact, the frozen hand hit the ground first and smashed to pieces, Chenry landed on her side with the fingers on her fur still somewhat intact and painfully clinging to her.

"Ow…" the pain from her ankles from landing wrong returned and she found herself unable to stand at all.

"Chenry!" Something must have appeared as a tone of fear entered Spyro's voice as he hopped toward her, the sight of Spyro hopping amused her.

_I will not faint…_ she mentally growled at herself as her vision began to blur. Her head lying on the ground, watching Spyro pick up speed then lung over her, Ice Breath in gear.

Grasping at straws, Chenry fought through an oncoming wave of nausea and spikes of pain in her ankles, struggling to stay conscious. Blurring figures leaped onto the scene, all saw her before three of the four characters sailed over her as Spyro had. A younger, smaller blur that looked like her hurried over and green objects dropped from her fetlocks.

Almost at once, as quickly as it had all come, the rising sickness and pain fled Chenry's body and she found herself on her hooves once more – vision repaired and bones like new. Upon its summons, the Secretive Loner returned to her mouth.

"Thanks Bambi!" Chenry cried to the other fawn, he grinned.

"No problem!"

Figuratively, however, they weren't out of the woods yet. Chenry turned around to find out why a battle was still going on.

The Prince was charging at a one-handed troll still encased in dragon ice, antlers lowered and withers bristled. Chenry's jaw almost dropped how was that thing still alive? She had a hunch it had something to do with the weird, black smog smoldering beneath the icy surface Spyro encased the troll in and the glowing, yellow eyes in its lumpy head.

It didn't look like the forest demonic beast from before.

_The Darkness…_ "The Darkness is taking over it!" It made sense to Chenry now; the troll must have been an animal or plant of some sort – not an actual heartless until this moment – which had been transformed into a troll by a dark spell. Ears laid back, Chenry had a pretty good idea of who would have done it too. Yet this Malificent character…it was the troll's master of sorts, was it the one creating this Heartless?

* * *

**A/N:**

_Wow, long time since I updated - very sorry for that! ^^ _

_One more chapter and we'll be out of Bambi's world and into the next! Wee!_

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	30. Drudging up the Past

**..::Part XXIX::..**

**..::Drudging up the Past::..**

Heartless or not, the giant troll had to be destroyed.

With the Secretive Loner ready, Chenry joined in the battle against it. A arrow shot past her a good distance away, spinning around, the albino fawn saw the red figure of a fox, his tail preparing another arrow. Robin's power was true, the last arrow managed to strike through the glass and harm the troll's thick skin beneath.

_What is that bow and its arrows made of?_ Wondering Chenry as she lashed out at the troll's one hand that was reaching for her. Without a club, the troll proved just as dangerous and cumbersome. Every time it took a step – like before – the ground shook, but unlike before, the ground cracked and threatened to cave.

Several minutes turned into a half an hour and the troll was relentless in its attacks.

Chenry, Mewtwo, Robin, Spyro, and the Prince valiantly fought on, only Bambi's green orbs seemed to sustain them – but just barely.

_How long must we keep this up? What is it's weakness?_ Unable to observe any signs of decreasing power, Chenry peered over at Mewtwo. On all fours, the lilac cougar was as stoic as ever and betrayed no thoughts he might have been thinking. If he were worried or discovered something that'll help take the monster down, Chenry was sure he would let – _at least her_ – know.

"**It's stamina is weakening! Attack the stomach!"** As if right on cue, Mewtwo cried out instructions and the rest of them happily obliged. Lifting a fallen tree trunk with his psychic abilities, Mewtwo lodged it into the troll's stomach. The monster screeched and gargled, striking it close to the large splinter, the Prince's antlers pierced the ice and skin along with another arrow from Robin.

"Watch out!" The Prince and Mewtwo jumped out of the way before a jet of red-hot flame launched from Spyro's mouth. Chenry noticed how the Prince and Bambi stiffened at the fire, their tails shamelessly rising as thoughts of fleeing cross their minds.

Even her instinct told her to bolt.

The ice around the troll melted and with all her power, Chenry swung at the beast's face.

It landed face-first with a loud thud, it's body glowed and on the left shoulder blade a black hole lined with magenta and cyan blue opened. Chenry and company watched as a 3D heart came soaring out of it then flew heavenward. Silence pursued, but the event before us was still unfurling.

The troll's body was rotting away at an increasingly fast rate with grass, the fallen log pierced into the troll's abdomen by Mewtwo, and mushrooms rising from where it had fallen. Within moments, the forest seemed to have created it's only memorial for the Heartless-controlled creature.

As the forest around them began to return to normal – the sky became a clear blue, the grass became greener – a soft tune rang in her ears. Peering from her comrades to the memorial, Chenry noticed how a small patch of grass bloomed into an extravagant bouquet of lilies, roses, and tulips. They folded into the shape of a keyhole and the Secretive Loner jerked in response.

It felt as if she had been placed into a different realm, where only she and the keyblade were allowed access. The keyhole rose and hovered above them, waiting patiently for Chenry and her keyblade to respond to its presence. Rearing back on her hind hooves, Chenry's felt the Secretive Loner vibrate, the tip of it glowing and pulling in bright, yellow stars.

A beam of slender light snapped through the air from the tip of her keyblade to the center of the keyhole. A distinct, locking noise could be heard before the keyhole and beam of light dissolved into the atmosphere.

And just like that, Chenry was back in the Dense Forest, surrounded by the others.

"What…just happened?" Spyro asked uneasily, Bambi was grinning ear to ear.

"Chenry sealed the keyhole!" he cried out, Mewtwo nodded and Robin sighed in relief.

"That's one world," said Robin, Chenry nodded. The Prince stepped toward her.

"I suppose this means you and your friends will be leaving then?" he asks, Bambi's ears lower at the dreaded reminder.

"Yes," was Chenry's reply, she glanced over at Bambi sadly. It must have felt like everyone was leaving him since his mother passed away…

"Then I wish to share some information with you, I'm not sure what help it will do, but I feel you should know." The Prince claimed, the group before him gave him intent looks, however, Mewtwo was watching on emotionlessly.

"While I was captured – I just remembered it now – by this Organization XIII, I overheard parts of their conversations." The great stag began, "they spoke of regaining their hearts."

Chenry frowned, Spyro huffed, Robin's eyebrows were raised, and Bambi's eyes grew wide.

"That might be relevant, yes," suddenly downcast, Chenry looked away and into the forest. Underneath the canopies, the ground was shrouded in sinister dark shadows.

Recalling the stark white walls of Castle Oblivion, flashes of memories pertaining to Axel and Larxene became vivid.

_I wonder what they're up to? Axel?_

**Meanwhile…**

_Somewhere on another world, a young man with spiky brown hair and deep blue eyes had just stormed into a cave. His outfit was black and his friends were a duck and a dog, alongside them was an Asian man outfitted in warrior armor. _

_A small, serpent-like, red dragon was currently occupying the man's right shoulder. It's mouth talking animatedly to the brown-haired boy and his companions._

**Back with Chenry and company…**

Later, the group had returned to the gummi and their original selves. Happily lapping up the sight of his purple scales, Spyro toyed with his long tail and dragon-size claws. Robin was readjusting himself to clothes and Mewtwo was back in his brown garb. Chenry seemed to be the less than content member aboard the vessel. Unable to tear her thoughts from a certain redhead.

Since leaving the Dense Forest, Chenry had been staring at the mobile phone Reno had given her prior to leaving Twilight Town. Her thumb ran over the chibi-sized head Reno probably had customized as a keychain for it. Sighing, she swung over her hand while the phone rested in her palm.

_Redheads are so full of themselves,_ she thought. Thinking of calling Reno and Rude made her thoughts connect with Axel and how she would prefer calling him at her own convenience – not at his. Getting answers and just having a conversation with the pyro would be nice…

Crying out joyfully after striking down a Heartless gummi, Spyro's whoops were tuned out by Chenry who recalled the Prince's words. Then, out of no where, a disembodied voice rang through her ears.

"_**Nobodies are shells, well, a leftover from a previous that had a strong heart. But those hearts are gone, only a soul and body remain. A nobody. What becomes of that heart resides in this, in the form of a heartless."**_

_I…don't remember Axel telling me that…_ she recognized his voice, it was definitely Axel speaking, but she couldn't recall when he had said that to her.

"**Here comes our next stop,"** Mewtwo spoke for the first time since we left the Dense Forest. Along with Chenry, the group peers out at the oncoming world. Mostly made up of a buildings and filthy-looking streets, it appears there is some countryside to it as well.

"**It's called Munich."** Stated Mewtwo, Chenry remembered how clean Byozone City's streets were, the thought of Quen La Mov ruling it must have marred the image since she last saw them.

"Let's land," said Chenry, they agreed. Despite before, even Spyro didn't argue against not going on to find his homeland.

"_It's simply…complicated is all,"_

"_What a contradiction,"_

"_Yep,"_

"_It's just…" Spyro struggled to get his wording right, "…you were persistent about landing here, of all the worlds, either you're searching for something or…you do want to help out other worlds."_

"_There was another reason," claimed Chenry._

"_And that is…?" Chenry sighed._

"_Can we not talk about it anymore?"_

"_Spill it!" growled Spyro, he was tired of waiting and if there was one thing he couldn't stand was waiting for an answer that was obviously standing right there in front of him._

"_Fine…just be honest with me when I tell you okay and don't judge me…not yet…kay?" Spyro raised an eyebrow._

"_Um…sure, yes, fine. Just tell me already, you don't seem to want to return to your own world," he pointed out, Chenry gave a slight nod._

"_That's partly true," she admitted, her eyelids drooped as she turned her gaze out toward the rain. "But…Byozone City…isn't my world."_

"_Byozone…City?"_

"_It's where I have been living before this whole ordeal began with the Organization and Heartless and so on," replied Chenry, Spyro nodded._

"_The strange thing is, I don't think you know this, but worlds have not always been connected…before the Heartless came, not even your Ether would have guided us to another world – heck, none of us – me, you, Mewtwo, and Robin – would never have met if it weren't for the Heartless. It's just one big mess really," Chenry explained, so far Spyro wasn't terribly lost, but he kept his furry mouth shut, knowing she'll probably answer his questions in due time before the end of the conversation._

"_Thing is…I was kidnapped from the world I was born in, a long time ago…BEFORE the Heartless came…" Chenry confessed calmly, but her voice was laced with sadness. Her tail and ears had drooped considerably and even though she wasn't standing in the rain, she looked like she was weighed down by the burden of a storm cloud._

**Munich, Germany, 1823**

"Damn nazis," Ed hissed under his breath, from underneath a pile of plywood, his eyes watched as the German soldiers' boots crunched into the ground beside the makeshift shelter. His brother, as blonde as he, sat a little ways away, whittling nervously at a thick stick he had picked up previously half an hour ago.

"Calm down brother, even if they _do_ find us, we look as German as they do." Al commented, sounding casual despite his appearance. Since he had came to this realm – Earth – all he ever felt around him was fear and filth, not that there wasn't any on Amestris, but World War II was raging here. Unlike in their home realm, there were no flames blazing from Roy's customized gloves or Ed's weapon summonings – just guns and brutal suicide runs.

"I _hate_ sitting around," continued Ed in a low, beast-like tone. Al sighed, knowing how his brother was feeling

"I know," Al replied, his voice suddenly strained as he lowered his carving. "I miss home,"

A couple of miles away, unknown to them, a gummi ship (foreign to this land and time period) had touched ground and the engine was cut off. Making his way out first was Robin, his eyes scouting the area. They had landed in a gloomy sort of forest – or whatever was remaining of it. Something had eliminated most of it, leaving behind little hope for renewal. The ground was a dull brown and dusty, the trees seemed to be on their way to the same fate with their branches hanging by pieces of bark at odd angles.

Satisfied, Robin walked down the ramp the gummi provided, followed by Chenry, Mewtwo, and finally Spyro.

Spyro wasn't his normal self, however.

"_I'm a DRAGON! Not a lizard!"_ he roared (or squeaked,) he appeared to be in the form of a small bearded dragon without the beard. His tail longer than most and he retained his original purple color and yellow horns.

"**You would draw an excessive amount of unwanted attention in this world, Spyro.**" Mewtwo explained tirelessly, Chenry bent down and held her hands out to the tiny lizard.

"C'mon, you can ride on my shoulder." She urged as the violet lizard gave her a skeptical look. With a frown, he huffed, successfully exhaling a fire ball. Chenry had to jump back to avoid burning her palms.

"Hey! Watch it!" she scolded, but Spyro smirked.

"Well, at least I still have my powers," deciding he was better off a lizard than a bunny, when Chenry offered her shoulder to him again (at the promise he wouldn't cause her hair to catch fire) he climbed into her hands and onto her shoulder.

Mewtwo pointed in the direction of a city with a thick layer of smog hanging over it to their right. Robin's nose scrunched and Chenry's left eye twitched.

"What's going on here?" Chenry asked, and as if she had called them out, a squadron of Shadows and Dusks appeared around them. Shocked, Chenry and Robin crouched into their fighting stances, arrows and keyblade withdrawn at the ready. Mewtwo's eyes glowed blue and Spyro hissed.

"_Nobodies?_" Chenry cried as she lashed out, Spyro leaped off her shoulder and spat a melee of fireballs at their attackers.

"**A war off balance due to war, hearts swallowed by darkness, that is why they are here.**" Claimed Mewtwo, he peered over at Chenry who had just struck down another shadow. "**You have your work cut out for you Chenry,**"

"I've noticed," she replied before launching at a dusk.

The event took no more than five minutes to complete, but the involvement of the nobodies unsettled the group. Chenry peered around, half expecting Axel to start clapping sarcastically or step out of the shadows of the deceased trees or more than likely both.

The arrival of dusks only meant the Organization was near, but the question was, which member?

"Let's head over," Robin said, almost disdainfully as he jabbed a finger toward the blackened city. His companions agreed and with Spyro back on Chenry's shoulder, they made their way toward it.

Ed and Al were starving, so together they made their way out of their shelter through a hole, jagged along the edges. On a daily basis, they had to find a way to boil semi-rotten vegetables found in deplorable gardens or steal food from abandoned homes. On rare occasion, Ed and Al would set up traps and manage to catch a skinny hare.

Today, they came across something far more valuable.

A group of outsiders.

Unlike their rugged clothing that had definitely seen better days, a girl in the group had clean clothes and the fox-like creature seemed to have great hygiene as well. Even the lilac-cat-looking character had a brown cloak that looked cleaner than Ed and Al's overall appearance. They were definitely not nazis, but that didn't mean they could be trusted.

Homeless beggars that remained in the city scattered when the group came within their sight, but the blonde duo stood their ground.

Chenry's eyes widened when she saw them, for some reason, she felt they should be familiar.

"Who – _and what – _are all of you?" Ed demanded, never being one to beat around the bush. The tips of Al's mouth couldn't help, but curl upwards. Despite their rough environment and his inability to cast alchemy, Ed was as short-tempered as always.

The girl, an albino human she seemed, blinked. Her brows furrowed together as she gave Ed a skeptical look, her red eyes scanning him from head to toe. Al spotted a small, purple lizard on her right shoulder, glaring at the pair with distrust. The fox coughed politely, as if assuming the role of introductions.

"We're new here, but we mean no harm," Robin began calmly, Chenry and Spyro exchanged sarcastic looks. And mumbled something under their breaths, Robin gave them a pointed glare before turning his attention back to Ed and Al.

"You're outsiders," Ed put simply, folding his arms.

"Obviously," the girl, Chenry huffed, Robin resisted rolling his eyes.

"Have there been…any problems?" Robin asked, unsure how to put his question as he gave the decrepit, dusty buildings and streets around him a thorough scan. It was Ed's turn to huff, his face suddenly rather angry.

"Obviously," he glared at Chenry as he threw her word back at her, she frowned back. "it's World War II,"

"How about anything too unusual? Like swarms of shadows with eyes?" Chenry asked, thinking the conversation wasn't going anywhere fast enough. Ed narrowed his eyes, but not to glare, but to think. Al decided to take over.

"I'm sorry, but we haven't properly introduced ourselves. In better circumstances, we would invite you somewhere – you appear civil enough – but looking around, that's not very likely. We're brothers, I'm Alphonse, and this is my big brother, Edward." As Al went on, Chenry's eyes got wider and wider.

"Would you…by chance, be the Elric brothers?" Chenry almost squeaked, she cleared her throat as the two blondes gave her strange looks.

"Who wants to know?" Ed asked suspiciously.

"Um, there's this girl…Winry Rockbell and her grandma-" the effect was almost instant.

"WINRY?! Edward – Winry!! She knows _Winry!_" Al's excitement was bubbling under his skin, his joy just barely contained.

"It's impossible and besides, how do we know she's not lying?" Ed growled, apparently not liking Chenry or the whole group of outsiders in general.

Robin, Mewtwo, and Spyro glanced at Chenry as the albino suddenly appeared confused.

_Winry…Winry? Who the hell is Winry? Why did I say that?_ It was as if her tongue had a mind of it's own and spoke what her brain knew not. Her heart claimed the name was familiar and connected it to another name – Pinako. Chenry was unable to reply to Ed's demand, but only scratched at her head.

"Who…" Al looked at her with such puerile excitement it almost broke her heart, but before she could finish her question, a voice popped up, one the group foreshadowed.

"Why, Chenry. She was a friend of yours, how could you _forget?_" Turning to the right (or in the brothers' cases, to the left) they stared into the face of the Order member's number Eight, Axel. The redhead seemed no different, and to Chenry's disbelief, appeared to have no regret to what he had minutely shown when he had stabbed her with his black antlers back in the Dense Forest.

"What are you talking about Axel? This makes no sense, I don't know any Winry or Pinako?" Ed and Al, especially the younger Elric, gave her a shocked expression.

"But you just said-"

"Trust me! I _know_ what I said! I don't get it either!" Chenry couldn't explain, so didn't even bother. She focused her energy on glaring Axel into the ground, but to her disappointment, her glowering only seemed to amuse him further. The redhead smirked, Chenry slid a hand into a side pocket, feeling the smooth sides to the mobile phone with the Reno chibi-head attached to it.

This would be as good as a time as any to call in back-up, Chenry felt the arrival of Axel and him greeting her about something she supposedly knew (but obviously didn't) would make this personal. If Reno and Rude were fast enough, they could possibly have the resources contain Axel more effectively than the four (or six, if Ed and Al decide to help out) of them.

Pulling out the phone and keeping an eye on Axel at the same time, she slid the phone open, the group opposing Axel stared at it, the key chain definitely did not go unnoticed by the pyro.

He smirked, if not a little darker than before.

"Hmph, boyfriend? Seriously? Don't you have enough on your plate, Chenry?" Axel asked coolly, but his tone was still grating and meant to cut her placid façade Chenry had put on as she sent a text to the Turks.

"Jealous much?" Chenry snapped, her cold tone chillier than Spyro's Ice Breath, "oh, wait, you can't be – you don't have a heart."

Spyro gazed up at her, if not a little nervously, did she not have a hard enough time battling him in Bambi's world? Or is it like he suspected earlier, that Chenry and Axel had met before the group had formed to journey to other worlds and there was some personal strife between them? Or was it petty drama that kept them pitting against one another?

"Touché!" chakrams suddenly appeared in the hands of their wielder, Axel had embers burning off their points.

"So, Chenry, want to know why those names sound familiar? Why you woke up in Twilight Town?" questioned Axel, Chenry frowned. Her red orbs clashing against his green ones, the Secretive Loner in her hand after putting the phone away again.

"What are you…oh," recalling the time she awoke in a large, white bud in the basement of a mansion off the outskirts of Twilight Town raced back into her memory. At the time, she didn't care about her surroundings, she thought of Castle Oblivion, but thinking back on it…all the remembered was being attacked? By the Organization! That's right! Then the next thing she knew, she was walking up and out of a basement, observing the Byozonian craftsmanship making up the old, deserted mansion.

Between the time she was attacked by the Order and waking up in Twilight Town, there's a gap. Did something happen that she didn't know about? If she found out would it explain how she knew the Elrics closest friend, Winry and her grandmother, Pinako? Another name ran by – Den?

"I have a proposal for you, Cherry-chan." A slight red hue burned on Chenry's cheeks, Axel didn't comment fortunately. "Leave your friends and come with me, I'll give you a hint."

"W-What?" yelped Robin out of the blue, "why should she trust you? You're a part of Organization XIII,"

"That's right," Chenry agreed, her blush vanished and her face became serious, "give me one damn good reason I should go with you?"

"What a tongue, I like it." Axel said, his chakrams vanished in a burst of flames and he folded his arms, his right raised so his fingers could be placed against his right temple. "Well, let me put it this way, Quen La Mov requests an audience with you – personally."

This shocked Chenry so much, the Secretive Loner disappeared from her fingers.

"W-"

"Not done yet," Axel claimed, apparently pleased with the effect of the news, "but also, he wishes to promote you to your new duties as his advisor."

Chenry's jaw dropped and her eyes appeared to bulge out of their sockets. Spyro narrowed his eyes up at her.

"What's going on here, Chenry?" he asked.

"You haven't told them yet? Not confiding in friends now?" Axel knew he was pushing the wrong buttons as heat welled up in the albino's face.

"_Axel,_" she hissed in a low tone, he held up his hands in mock defense.

"I'm only trying to help, Twilight Town is only a gummi ship away and you're denying the Elrics a happy reunion." Stated Axel, "Let your _friends_ take them from this world and bring them back to Twilight Town – this world is safe from having it's heart taken, a fellow keyblade wielder such as yourself has already passed by a while ago."

When Chenry peered over at the brothers, she found Ed scrutinizing Axel with all his might, but Al seemed more emotional and was giving Chenry his best puppy-dog eyes. The news of another keyblade wielder (supposedly not Sora, or otherwise Axel would have said it was him) didn't even spark an interest in Chenry.

"What about me? What do you intend to do?" she asked, almost quietly. Axel's smirk softened.

"Why, deliver you to Quen La Mov," Chenry narrowed her eyes on him, not believing what he was saying could be all he was plotting.

"You have more intentions, I know it." He sighed.

"Of course, but they all are mostly in your best interests." He stated, Chenry absent-mindedly began stroking Spyro's back. Since the day she awoke in Twilight Town, a part of her demanded she somehow find a way back to Byozone City and protect the royal family. Speaking of which…

"What about the royal family? What has that bastard done to them?" Chenry blinked, remembering something else, "didn't he request the Organization to kill them off?"

"You're pretty blunt as usual," Axel said casually, running a hand through his spikey mane of red hair. His emerald eyes swiveled back to Chenry's red ones. Her eyes seemed to flash as his silence pursued the question, it amazed him how she didn't break down or beg him for what he knew about the king and queen and their children. Chenry wasn't much of a damsel in distress, Axel knew that much, but it was her growing ire that kept tears from appearing and his smirk softened.

"Don't worry," Axel said, "we have our own agenda, Mov's _demand_ couldn't fit in."

Relief washed over Chenry – so they _were_ still alive! That means she hadn't utterly failed Master Eleven (yet.) But that meant she had a decision to make – go with Axel (who could very well be trying to trick her) and return under Quen La Mov's rule or stay with her newfound friends and reunite Ed and Al with the Rockbells in Twilight Town.

The pros and cons to returning to Byozone City were either very good or very bad – considering she always has nightmares of Mov, being his advisor (assuming he was in control of Byozone) Chenry wasn't exactly looking forward to meeting him again. But what about the royal family? Where were they? Would Axel know?

"Do you know what Quen La Mov has done with the royal family?" Chenry questioned a (an actual) patiently waiting Axel, he shrugged.

"Beats me," was his reply, Chenry frowned.

On the other hand, Quen La Mov is very likely still after her Secret and as 'appealing' as their last encounter went, Chenry wasn't about to go through the torture again. But the royal family might be suffering in a deep, dark dungeon…and the queen is claustrophobic…

Chenry gazed out of the corner of her eye toward Mewtwo, Robin, Spyro (who was still on her shoulder), and the recently discovered Elric brothers.

_They can manage without me,_ she thought glumly, memories of the royal family whizzed around her head and the thought of returning to Byozone was great, but dreadful at the same time. Yet she had her duties she had long since neglected since she was taken to Castle Oblivion.

_**But what of your duties as the keyblade bearer?**_ Mewtwo's voice asked through telekinesis, Chenry sighed.

_They'll have to be put on hold for now, at least until Quen La Mov is through, _replied Chenry, deliberately she turned to Mewtwo and Robin as she gently picked Spyro up from her shoulder.

"I'll see you guys around, 'kay?" Chenry said, Spyro's eyes went wide, but narrowed. Mewtwo remained stoic and Robin was still adamant about her not going.

"I know we have just met a week or so ago, but it feels like it's been years." Robin claimed honestly, "do _you _really feel you should do this? What about sealing the keyholes? There are a ton more worlds out there threatened by the heartless."

"Mewtwo asked the same thing, but before I can really help others I have to fix my own problems. Maybe Mov knows something about the Secret power I have, if he does then I can perhaps learn of what it is and how to use it. Until then, my world-saving days are going to have to be put on hold," Chenry explained, Spyro huffed.

"Hurry up!" cried Axel with a smirk, he unleashed a dark, swirling portal behind him. Already knowing of Chenry's choice.

"Wait!" Ed cried out unexpectedly as Chenry began stepping away from them, the albino stopped and looked at him, Axel growled with annoyance.

"I know we just met and everything, but you shouldn't be going in alone – that guy doesn't trustworthy one bit!" the blonde said, pointing at the pyro. Chenry smiled.

"Don't worry, he's not." She said simply, Ed and Al nearly body-faulted. In the background, they could just hardly make out an "ouch" from Axel.

"Then-what? – Why are you going- you're not making any sense!" Ed downright shot down the idea of Chenry going with Axel, but the albino didn't know him enough to trust his instincts and she felt she had to listen to hers, not matter how stupid it made her feel right now.

"It's something I must do, have you ever had that feeling?" Chenry asked, for some reason she was taking this all very calmly.

Ed's facial features changed dramatically, suddenly his temper was gone and his face was set in a firm, if not hard expression.

"Yes," he answered, "when Al and I left Amestris."

"Then you know it's useless trying to change my mind," Chenry said, "you know, I'm not sure _who_ this Winry is, buuut, I feel she would have thought of you two as really good friends."

And with that, Axel took a hold of Chenry's wrist before leading her into the portal. When the hole closed and the tunnel grew dark, Chenry felt Axel turn toward her.

"Now that I have you all to myself…"

* * *

**A/N:**

**_ KINGDOM HEARTS 358/2 DAYS HAS FINALLY BEEN RELEASED IN THE U.S.!!! Yay! I'm not totally thrilled about the idea of Xion, seeing all the reviews and fanart of the game, but AXEL is in it and plays a larger role than he has before!_**

**_Okay, about Unwritten Secret, I'm starting to steer it in a different direction and trying to get AxelXChenry onto a different level, but I'm leaving you my dear reader, with the dreaded cliffhanger (truth is I'm sitting around after finishing my first art college project)_**

**_Check out my new fanfic "FuNsIzEd" if you're a Yu-Gi-Oh! fan, it's based on a little girl seeking out Pegasus who looks a lot like Cyndia...hm._**

_Thank you for the reviews!_


	31. Coming to Terms

**..::Part XXX::..**

**..::Coming to Terms::..**

"I _knew_ you were up to something," Chenry ultimately accused, Axel looked hurt, but Chenry knew it was nothing but a ruse.

"Don't worry, I _will_ personally escort you to Mov," Axel claimed, Chenry narrowed her eyes on him – she hated being so damn suspicious, especially of him. Yet she knew he wasn't some big softie underneath, she wouldn't fool herself into thinking she was something of sentimental value to him…not as he is now…she blinked.

"Axel…is there any way for a nobody to regain its heart?" Chenry wanted it to sound like an innocent question, but it carried a cumbersome thunderhead over it. Axel didn't looked surprised she asked such a thing, but (what looked to be an alley way) he crossed his arms over his chest then gave her a strange look.

"You know…it's funny," he suddenly sounded sad, Chenry, in return, gave him a strange look too.

"What does?"

"I had gotten to know your nobody more so than you, Chenry. _Quite a bit_ more actually," he was now stroking his chin as he looked up in thought, as if reliving a memory. For some odd reason, the albino couldn't help but feel a slight blush coming on to her pale cheeks.

"Meaning?" _I have the feeling I don't really want to know, but I DO…_"want to know-!" Chenry's hands slapped over her mouth so fast it sounded as if she slapped the pyro. Said pyro took a glance at her from his thinking pose, his eyes glinting mischievously.

"You're curious," he observed, "I'm guessing you're putting two and two together...I hope?"

Indeed, she was. Now that she knew the extent of a heartless and what became of the rest after the heart was ripped from the body, her red eyes looked from her shoes up to Axel then to her right.

"I…was a nobody?"

"Well, you _had_ a nobody, but I took care of that." Axel replied in short, his arms unfolding and one hand went through his wild, red hair. Chenry frowned and her hands inched away from her face.

"Meaning?" _Damn, I sound like a parrot._ Chenry and Axel made eye contact.

"I already told you, Yenchrx and I got…well, for lack of better terms, more acquainted I suppose you could say."

"She – Yenchrx I mean – lived in Twilight Town?" Chenry asked, Axel shook his head.

"A virtual Twilight Town, a complete reflection of the world and its habitants Diz created."

"Diz?" Axel froze, Chenry wondered if he was rethinking his strategy as he obviously must have said too much.

"It's nothing," Axel said, his eyes meeting Chenry's again, something she couldn't recognize flashed through them. "C'mon, let's go meet the king,"

"Now?" Chenry, confused, looked around the alley way, looking for his shadow portal.

"Yes, now," he was heading out of the alley way, Chenry chased after him.

"What are you-" Chenry gasped, not a step outside the alley way gave away that Axel had transported them to Byozone. But it was not of the city she remembered. Flourishing with an abundance of flowers and a vividly blue sky and brick roads, Byozone City transformed! Children were running around screaming joyfully and parents were busily working about in a happy manner.

Axel watched, almost nostalgically, as Chenry stepped out of the alley way and looked around.

"Am…I seriously back?" Chenry felt tears prickling at the back of her eyes, _no, this wasn't right…this isn't Byozone_-! She turned around and stared at Axel, the redhead gave a small start. He had never seen the albino so emotional before.

"This can't be Byozone City! I was expecting…a…another _Munich_ for crying out loud!" Chenry spun around, for some reason, unsure of whether she was feeling depression, confusion, or joy, or maybe all three. Axel stepped up and put a hand on her shoulder.

"It's because it's not – not anymore," Axel said, Chenry rubbed her eyes till they were dry. She observed her surroundings some more, there were old-fashioned wells enveloped in green ivy, cottages with small sheds occupied by chestnut stallions and gentle mares. Tiny rabbits frolicked in overgrown grass with yellow daisies, blue birds twittered away like halos over children's heads.

Byozone City was a cold, desolate world, or at least, that's how she remembered it. The walls were iron and the streets were smooth. People were antisocial and kids were considered nothing but vermin.

"C'mon, let's head to the castle." Axel calmly took her hand and began pulling her down the street. Analyzing every corner of the newfound Byozone "village," Chenry didn't take her eyes off anything, not even to see where Axel was leading her.

When a shadow overtook her being, Chenry finally looked ahead to find a giant, off-white castle looming over them. Cheerfully colored flags were hoisted over the torrents and spiraled towers, sentries were stationed at the top of drawbridge on the other side of the moat.

Chenry didn't recall any flags, but she remembered how the moat used to be nothing but treacherous mud and full of giant barracuda.

"Axel…what's going on?" Chenry almost whispered, her brain felt like it was malfunctioning and she gripped Axel's hand like it was her life line to reality. Her pride was almost nonexistent at the moment as she desperately clung to sanity.

_Something was NOT right…_

"Who goes there?" a sentry cried, Axel didn't even wait, he summoned a portal and stepped into it, dragging Chenry along for the ride.

The abnormal mode of transportation snapped Chenry back into gear, or so it seemed. The inside of the castle was how she remembered it to be – cold, a metallic blue, a stone floor and virtually undecorated. Unlike how she imagined it though, there were no giant portraits of the traitor, Mov anywhere.

"Ah, look who we have here!" a voice cried, Chenry went pink out of shock. Axel had transported her straight into the throne room! She felt Axel try to sneak his hand out of her grip, but her fingers only tightened around it, she heard him sigh. Chenry's eyes were wider than dinner saucers, she thought she might faint.

There was no Quen La Mov on that throne.

"She's back! She's back! Cherry-chan!!!"

Axel smirked lightly at the – apparently universal - nickname as a Celeste, a young princess came running up to the albino.

"Axel…something's not right…" Chenry began under her breath so only the pyro could hear, but the small brunette girl jumped into the albino's unsuspecting arms and gave her a tight hug.

"Cherry-chan! He said you would come back! He said! He said! And you came back!!!" Chenry's eyes were diverted from all else except Celeste, she even let Axel's gloved hand go to embrace the girl back.

…_but…_

"I'm sorry, Celeste, but…" Chenry looked up to find her suspicions were true, Axel peered at her as if his best friend had just died – or in his case, his flame went out. Chenry gave Celeste a good, hard look, the girl's amber eyes were priceless.

"But what, Cherry-chan?" Tears sprang to Chenry's eyes and as her vision swam, she muttered her worst fear.

"_This isn't real, you're all __**dead**__."_

As if in response, Celeste literally melted in her arms and the three figures sitting on the throne – the Lord Aquarel, Lady Ren, and Prince Phirel did the same. Chenry's red eyes blazed crimson as her gaze shot at Axel, the pyro was already across the room, as if anticipating her attack.

Her pupils vanished and unlike before, she was fully aware of what she was doing. The ground was vibrating the throne chairs were splintered apart as the floor between them cracked. Lizard shaped shadows erupted from the crack that slithered through the entire throne room, they crawled along the floor and up the ceiling where once they joined together, a keyhole was revealed.

"So…this is the Secret," muttered Axel, his emerald eyes peered up at the keyhole.

"_**Yes,**_" Chenry didn't sound like herself, but she had a right mind to know it sounded like a mix of hers and Master Eleven's. "_**but NO ONE will touch the legacy of the Eleven family! Yang to the throne of Radiant Gardens!**_"

Then, without any control over her actions, Chenry summoned the Secretive Loner and threw the blade at the gloomy curtains on the left side of the room she had bothered to notice before. It struck someone and apparently killed them, blood streamed down the velvet fabric before pooling at their feet.

Axel had no doubt, it was Mov who had been hit.

With his death and if the two had been outside, they would have seen how the village had dissolved and replaced by the Byozone City Chenry had known before.

Back in the castle, the albino pointed her keyblade up at the hole and sealed it instantly. The atmosphere calmed and Chenry regained her pupils in her eyes and almost dropped to her knees.

"Whoa…" Chenry rubbed her forehead and her temples.

"_Whoa_ is right, you have serious mental issues, _Albino Weasel,_" Axel said, his expression had changed dramatically and Chenry couldn't help, but smile.

"This – of course – isn't the end though, at least, not for Byozone." Chenry claimed, "I need to find the next king or queen or whatever,"

"Let the people figure that out," Axel waved off, Chenry frowned.

"Hm, not a bad thought." Seriously considering it, Chenry gave the pyro a pointed look. In her head, she wasn't sure what to think. Yet…

She approached Axel, the redhead quirked an eyebrow at her.

"What?" he asked, Chenry gave him her brightest eyes.

"You kissed her, didn't you?" the albino was still pink, and Axel frowned.

"So what if I did? Doesn't mean I want to kiss you," Chenry's jaw dropped.

"B-But…what? Why not?" the albino stood up straight and pouted. Axel smirked as he flicked her nose.

"Patience, patience," he tsked as he opened another portal. He didn't get very far as Chenry pounced on him and wrapped her arms around his slender midsection.

"You always get away before I ask you," she muttered, the redhead sighed playfully.

"Asked me what?" he peered down at her, she took something out of her pocket.

"Your number!" she exclaimed as she revealed to him her cell phone with Reno's key chain, he gave the whole device a revolted expression.

"I might as well teach you to summon dark portals!"

"That works too!"

"It won't happen, _Albino_,"

"_Pyromaniac_," then in a fit of giggles, Chenry let go of him.

"Fine, play hard to get," she said, Axel looked her over as his portal wavered a few steps away.

"That's my game for the most part, not even Larxene could manage me," he said, Chenry made a face and he laughed before catching himself. It was Chenry's turn to smirk.

"I think someone was actually enjoying themselves," she observed in a sing-song voice, Axel crossed his arms.

"Not the first time," claimed Axel.

"Sure," Chenry replied, then she went silent, her cell phone vibrated. It was a text message, the albino peered down at it.

"Well, I'm heading out," Axel stated, Chenry watched him.

"You're just going to leave me?" the albino asked, Axel gave an exasperated sigh before sliding something out of one of his unseen pockets. He threw to Chenry, then she missed and had to search it out on the floor. When she did pick it up, she discovered it was a card.

A weird-looking card she had never seen the likes of before, with a picture of Axel on it.

"There's my card, it transfers feeling, like if you're in trouble and need help or something." Chenry nodded, then a light bulb went off over her head.

"Thank you," she said, the redhead nodded before finally venturing off into the portal. The dark void closing behind him.

Without another word, Chenry brought the card to her lips.

On another world that was never supposed to be, Axel felt something he hadn't felt in a long time and suppressed the urge to go running back to Chenry. He had a pretty good idea of what had happened, but the thought was all the same.

Roxas wasn't the only reason he felt warm anymore, that was for sure.

Meanwhile, back with Chenry…

A chill ran down her spine as soft cackling gargled by blood sounded from behind the curtain. Cautiously, Chenry peered over at it to find a bleeding mass of a deranged man slowly emerging from the curtain's heavy piles lying on the floor over his body.

"_My, my, how touching…_"

_The worlds are a glistening and nightmares abound;_

_On that day you greet on stone-ground.

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**A/N:**

_I'm making this the end of this fanfiction! I will get started on the "sequel" momentarily...maybe._

_Chenry's story is not done, but I have another's waiting rather patiently. Thank you for reading Unwritten Secret and I hope you look forward to the next addition!_

_Look out for more AxelXChenry and dun dun dun...Demyx ooooor Zexion oooooor Riku(I'm not very sure)_

_Unfortunately, I haven't gotten 358/2 Days yet and I just as of recently got to Castle Oblivion in the Re: Chain of Memories for Sora's part of the story (gathering map cards is frustrating dang it! I can't get a stupid 3= for the key of Beginnings!!!)_

_This chapter was rather...er, spontaneously inspired, so I'm no thoroughly happy with it just yet. But I felt this story was going on a little too long without a proper outline on my part...sooo, I'm giving Chenry a break for a bit._

_Stay in tune with my profile to keep updated, I'll post the date when I'm ready to get the sequel up and running, but college is annoying sometimes..._

_Happy Halloween 2009!!!_

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